Trump picks Rubio for State, pro-Russia Tulsi to head CIA

President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday evening the appointment of Marco Rubio as Secretary of State in his new administration, and he also assigned Tulsi Gabbard, a defector from the Democratic Party known for her pro-Russian positions, to head the US National Intelligence Directorate.

The appointment comes as part of his government's completion of appointments before he officially takes office on January 20. He chose Rubio to fill the position of Secretary of State in his next administration, thus placing an ally at the head of American diplomacy.

A statement issued by the US president-elect said that Senator Rubio, known for his anti-China positions, will be "a fierce defender of our nation, a true friend to our allies, and a valiant warrior who will never back down in the face of our enemies."

Rubio's name has been mentioned repeatedly over the past week as one of the front-runners to lead US diplomacy, along with former ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell.

Asked last week if he expected to hold a senior position in the Trump administration, Rubio told CNN: “I’ve always been interested in serving this country.”

Trump’s choice of the hardline Cuban-American congressman marks a marked shift in the relationship between the two men. In 2016, they competed for the Republican presidential nomination, with Rubio calling Trump a “conman” and “the most vulgar person ever to aspire to the presidency.”

Rubio was born to Cuban immigrant parents in Miami, and studied political science at the University of Florida, graduating in 1993.

In 2010, Rubio was elected to the Senate with the support of the Tea Party, which includes extremist Republicans who re-integrated into the Republican Party following the election of Barack Obama as president.

Democrats choose defector