Two Florida lawmakers have been tapped to play key roles in President-elect Trump’s cabinet.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has been chosen as the next secretary of state. Congressman Matt Gaetz, from the Florida Panhandle, has been nominated as the next attorney general.
Both men are well known in The Villages and have been frequent visitors.
The incoming president heaped praise on Rubio, who was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010. Rubio has been a frequent visitor to Florida’s Friendliest Hometown, including delivering the keynote address at the 2018 Lincoln Day Dinner at Savannah Center.
“Marco is a highly respected leader, and a very powerful voice for freedom. He will be a strong advocate for our nation, a true friend to our allies, and a fearless warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said in an announcement confirming that Rubio is his choice to head the U.S. State Department.
Trump noted that Rubio is the son of Cuban immigrants, who came to the United States in search of the American dream.
Matt Gaetz nominated as attorney general
Trump has named Gaetz as his nominee for attorney general, calling him a “champion for the Constitution and the Rule of Law.”
Gaetz has always been a staunch defender of Trump, even in his lowest of moments.
In 2021, Gaetz and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene attracted a big, boisterous crowd at the Brownwood Hotel & Spa where both were effusive in their praise of Trump.
The president-elect was enthusiastic about his selection of Gaetz as head of the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Matt will root out the systemic corruption at DOJ, and return the Department to its true mission of fighting crime, and upholding our democracy and Constitution. We must have honesty, integrity, and transparency at DOJ. Under Matt’s leadership, all Americans will be proud of the Department of Justice once again,” Trump said.
