Lara Trump, who is the daughter-in-law of President-elect Trump and the Chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), has expressed openness to the idea of replacing Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who has been nominated for the position of secretary of State.
During an appearance on Fox News with Maria Bartiromo on Thursday, Lara Trump mentioned that while she had not been approached by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), she would seriously consider stepping into the role if offered. She conveyed that she felt honored to be part of the conversation, though no direct outreach had been made to her yet.
She acknowledged her experience with the RNC, saying it has been a valuable learning experience in terms of serving the American people. Lara Trump emphasized that taking on the role of representing her home state of Florida would be an honor, alongside its accompanying responsibilities. She expressed enthusiasm for the potential opportunity to continue making a meaningful impact.
In a development on Wednesday, President-elect Trump selected Rubio for the position of secretary of State, marking a stark reversal of their previous rivalry during the 2016 GOP presidential primary. With Rubio’s nomination, it now falls to Gov. DeSantis to choose a replacement who will serve until 2026, when a special election will be held to complete the remainder of Rubio’s term.
Although Lara Trump confirmed she has not yet been contacted by DeSantis, who was also a contender in the 2024 GOP presidential race, she remained optimistic, saying, “We’ll see what happens.” Lara Trump took on the role of co-chair at the RNC in March, working alongside Michael Whatley in her leadership capacity.