State Department says Secretary Rubio will help lead national security while keeping State duties

At a State Department briefing, the department’s spokesperson said Secretary Marco Rubio will serve as national security adviser while continuing his leadership as Secretary of State.

The spokesperson characterized the arrangement as a presidential decision and stressed that top department officials and existing leadership teams would support day-to-day operations. “He’s going to be serving in both roles,” a journalist asked; the spokesperson said the secretary’s close working relationship with the president and experience made the arrangement feasible.

The spokesperson pointed to Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau as a senior official who would step up to chair meetings and handle daily management in the building when necessary. The spokesperson described Landau as experienced and transparent and said he already chairs certain meetings.

Reporters asked about timing and how the roles would be balanced; the spokesperson declined to provide details about internal scheduling or private deliberations, saying presidential personnel decisions are presidential prerogatives. The briefing included repeated cautions not to “get ahead of” public announcements and to await formal presidential statements.

The department did not provide a written delineation of responsibilities, a timeline for any formal transition, or an interagency memorandum of understanding defining lines between State and national security adviser duties. The spokesperson said other senior officials and department staff are part of the leadership framework that would support the arrangement.