Thune elected leader in US Senate, defeated Republican right-wing candidate. Rubio Secretary of State
The South Dakota senator prevailed over right-wing candidate Scott. But first he had to pledge allegiance to the tycoon
2' min read
2' min read
Agreement reached on the Republican majority leader in the Senate. John Thune, Senator from South Dakota, big favourite on the eve of the vote and first in the hierarchy of the upper chamber of Congress, in terms of seniority, role and experience, prevailed.
Compromise choice
Donald Trump chose compromise, accepting parliamentary logic. and avoiding creating divisions, unnecessary at this stage: he therefore did not insist on the Maga candidate, Rick Scott, senator from Florida, whom many on the right, as well as Elon Musk, would have preferred as a reference.
Thune got 23 votes, against John Cornyn's 15 and Scott's 13. Thune, considered a more moderate figure and close to the establishment, won the ballot. He was the deputy of outgoing leader Mitch McConnell, who was often critical of Trump.
Trump'sstaff, also in Washington today to meet Joe Biden at the White House, let it be known that the choice of Thune 'fully meets' the president-elect's expectations: Trump had left the door open in the Senate, however, demanding a leader who does not oppose his governing action. Thune, before he was elected, had to swear allegiance to Trump, assuring the president-elect that he would also go along with the White House on international issues, starting with the prospective US disengagement from the war in Ukraine.
Marco Rubio Secretary of State, Matt Gaetz at Justice
The President-elect also confirmed the nomination of Florida Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. Rubio is known as a hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and has been in the running as a presidential candidate in the Republican primaries, Rubio is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "Leading the US State Department is a tremendous responsibility and I am honoured by the confidence President Trump has placed in me," Rubio began on X after the announcement. "I will work every day to advance his foreign policy agenda," the post read further, "Under President Trump's leadership we will bring peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else.
