US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Marco Rubio , the nominee for Secretary of State under President-elect Donald Trump, on Wednesday. According to the State Department, the meeting was described as a "good, constructive, and substantive" conversation. "As we said initially when they first had the opportunity to speak on the phone, we expected them to have an engagement at some point," State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters. "This is consistent with that, and as we long said, we continue to stand ready to help support a seamless transition," he added. Patel declined to provide further details about the content of the conversation. Blinken last month called Rubio to congratulate him on his nomination for Secretary of State.. Blinken also pledged at the tie that the State Department would “do everything within our power to make a successful transition." Rubio has been a strong supporter of Israel, saying last November that Israel should "destroy every element of Hamas" when confronted by activists from the anti-Israel Code Pink organization. Related articles: US Senate confirms Marco Rubio as Secretary of State 'We will overturn sanctions on residents of Judea and Samaria' Report: Trump to name Marco Rubio Secretary of State Who will be the next Secretary of State? In 2020, he co-sponsored legislation to provide $3.3 billion in annual aid to Israel, codifying the 2016 memorandum of understanding between the Obama administration and the Netanyahu government that guarantees Israel $38 billion in security assistance over 10 years. Rubio sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, running against Trump, but dropped out of the presidential race soon after losing to Trump in his own state. He endorsed Trump in the 2024 race.
