Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) made a notable appearance alongside former President Donald Trump at a rally in Doral, Florida. This comes just days before Trump is expected to announce his vice presidential pick, sparking speculation about Rubio’s potential selection.
Throughout his speech, Trump mentioned Rubio over a dozen times, dropping hints that the senator could be his choice for VP. “I think they probably think I’m going to be announcing that Marco is going to be vice president, because that’s a lot of press,” Trump remarked, clearly enjoying the media buzz.
Trump even teased Rubio about his future in the Senate when discussing his proposal to eliminate taxes on tips. “Marco, you’re going to vote for it, I hope,” he said. “Well, you may or may not be there to vote for it, but you’ll be involved.”
Rubio, switching between English and Spanish, praised Trump’s policies on the economy, energy, and foreign affairs. “We elect this man as president, we will make, together, America greater than it has ever been,” Rubio told the crowd, adding fuel to the VP speculation fire.
Trump also linked Rubio to his anti-communist stance, highlighting the senator’s appeal to voters from Cuba and Venezuela. “We want our freedom,” Trump declared. “And we have a lot of people, Marco, from Cuba, from Venezuela, from all over, and they don’t want to hear about socialism or communism.”
Despite their fierce rivalry during the 2016 Republican primary, Trump referred to Rubio as “a man who’s become really a friend of mine.” He reminisced about their heated campaign, noting Rubio’s toughness and intelligence, and calling him a “fantastic guy.”
In a recent interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Trump said he hasn’t yet decided on his VP pick but plans to announce it before the Republican National Convention in mid-July. Sens. Rubio, J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum are all reportedly under consideration.
Rubio, at 53, stands out as one of the younger candidates on Trump’s shortlist. The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio could bolster Trump’s support among Hispanic voters and bring valuable foreign policy experience to the ticket. Known for his tough stance on China, Rubio has been vocal about holding the Chinese Communist Party accountable for human rights violations, including forced organ harvesting.
Rubio’s legislative efforts against China include pushing for a U.S. lobbyist choice between representing domestic or Chinese interests, advocating for the investigation of Chinese companies, and urging sanctions against Chinese battery firms. He has also championed legislation to encourage whistleblowers to expose China’s human rights abuses.
“The United States must hold the CCP accountable for these savage crimes,” Rubio said, emphasizing his commitment to combating China’s oppressive practices.
