Marco Rubio thanks President Trump, pledges to lead State Department with 'distinction' and 'integrity'

Marco Rubio, the 72nd U.S. secretary of state, thanked President Trump for nominating him and said on his first day he would lead the State Department and its diplomatic corps "with distinction" and "with integrity."

Rubio addressed colleagues in brief remarks in which he described the diplomatic corps as "the most effective, the most talented, the most experienced diplomatic corps in the history of the world" and said overseeing that workforce was an "extraordinary honor and a privilege." He said his "sincerest hope and my prayer is that we will, as a nation, be able to leave the future generations with a country and a planet safer and better than the 1 that was left for us."

The remarks were short and focused on leadership and readiness. Rubio said he was "working harder than anyone ever has at this role," that he was "in the job on day 1," and that he and his team were "ready to go to work." He closed by offering a brief blessing: "God bless all of you. God bless us."

The transcript contains no record of a formal vote, policy announcement, or specific operational changes; it records a short, ceremonial-style address in which the incoming secretary framed broad goals for the department and expressed gratitude to President Trump for the nomination. No supporting documents, budget figures, or implementation timelines were mentioned in the provided text.