President Donald Trump has formally appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as his permanent national security adviser, ending more than 16 months during which Rubio held the influential White House position on an acting basis. The White House confirmed that President Trump signed a commission to formalize Rubio's appointment to the post. The administration did not publicly disclose the precise date the commission was signed, though multiple outlets reported the confirmation on September 22, 2026.
"When I have a problem, I call up Marco. He gets it solved." President Donald Trump
This arrangement places Secretary Rubio in rare historical company, as he will continue to serve as Secretary of State while simultaneously overseeing the National Security Council and advising President Trump on foreign policy, defense, and intelligence matters. He is the first official since Henry Kissinger in the 1970s to serve concurrently as both Secretary of State and National Security Adviser. The national security adviser’s primary role involves coordinating policy recommendations from various agencies, including the State Department, Defense Department, and the intelligence community, before presenting them to the President. Unlike the Secretary of State, the National Security Adviser position does not require Senate confirmation.
Rubio began performing these dual duties on May 1, 2025, when President Trump initially selected him to temporarily replace Mike Waltz. At that time, Rubio continued his leadership of the State Department. President Trump had expressed strong confidence in Rubio's capabilities when announcing the initial appointment, stating, "When I have a problem, I call up Marco. He gets it solved."
The transition for Waltz occurred following a controversy widely dubbed "Signalgate." This incident involved a private Signal group chat among senior administration officials concerning planned U.S. military strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen. Waltz mistakenly added The Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg to the confidential conversation, inadvertently exposing sensitive operational details to the journalist. Following this episode, President Trump nominated Waltz to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The Senate confirmed Waltz for the ambassadorial role in September 2025 by a 47-43 vote.
Rubio's permanent appointment maintains the foreign policy structure President Trump has utilized since Waltz’s departure. This structure centralizes significant diplomatic and national security coordination responsibilities under one official. Rubio, a former Florida senator, was unanimously confirmed as Secretary of State shortly after President Trump returned to office in January 2025, becoming the first Hispanic American to serve as the nation’s top diplomat.
The combined responsibilities grant Secretary Rubio an exceptionally influential role in shaping the administration’s responses to international conflicts, managing relations with U.S. allies and adversaries, evaluating intelligence assessments, and guiding military decisions. This dual assignment consolidates responsibilities that are traditionally divided between two distinct officials, with the Secretary of State directing American diplomacy and the national security adviser coordinating competing recommendations from across the executive branch.
Despite the heavy workload, Rubio has attracted speculation as a potential contender for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. However, during a September 2026 trip to Colombia, he publicly stated that he had no current campaign plans and remained entirely focused on his responsibilities within the administration. "I don’t know what the future holds, but I have no plans at this time," Rubio said when asked about a potential presidential campaign. The signed commission effectively removes Rubio’s "acting" designation, formally establishing his dual-role arrangement for the remainder of his service in both critical positions.
