Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio is technically not a member of DOGE – in fact, there have been moments where reportedly has faced off against Elon Musk in cabinet meetings and his allegiance has always been to Donald Trump. Nevertheless, there are multiple circumstances where he has particularly aided DOGE’s destruction of agencies that he is nominally in charge of. So, it makes sense to add him here, if only to better illustrate how DOGE has abused the Vacancies Act to put leaders in charge all over the federal government without Senate approval.
Positions
Appointed:
1/20/25 Secretary of State
Appointed:
1/20/25 Secretary of State
| Source: | Marco Rubio Is Confirmed by Senate as Secretary of State The New York Times, 1/20/25 |
Appointed:
2/03/25-8/29/25 Acting Administrator
Appointed:
2/03/25-8/29/25 Acting Administrator
| Source: | Rubio hands off USAID closeout to OMB Director Vought Politico, 8/29/25 |
| Source: | Secretary Marco Rubio Appointed as Acting Administrator for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) US Department of State, 2/03/25 |
Appointed:
2/16/25 Acting Archivist
Appointed:
2/16/25 Acting Archivist
| Source: | Trump Fired the Archivist of the United States Washington Monthly, 3/05/25 |
| Source: | Acting archivist, inspector general for National Archives forced out The Washington Post, 2/16/25 |
Events
1/20/25
Appointed:
Marco Rubio starts as Secretary of State at State.
Appointed:
Marco Rubio starts as Secretary of State at State.
| Appointed: | Marco Rubio 1/20/25 |
| Position Title: | Secretary of State |
| Source: | Marco Rubio Is Confirmed by Senate as Secretary of State The New York Times, 1/20/25 |
1/24/25
Official Action:
The State Department issues a memo written by Peter Marocco and signed by Marco Rubio that not only puts a halt to future foreign aid but also insists on stop-work orders for ~6200 current grants and contracts at USAID.
Official Action:
The State Department issues a memo written by Peter Marocco and signed by Marco Rubio that not only puts a halt to future foreign aid but also insists on stop-work orders for ~6200 current grants and contracts at USAID.
| Person: | Marco Rubio, Peter Marocco |
| Source: | Within two weeks of President Trump’s return to the White House, U.S.A.I.D. was on the cusp of oblivion The New York Times, 6/22/25 |
| Agency: | State, USAID |
| DOGE Project: | Spending |
2/01/25
Disruption:
The acting head of the USAID, Jason Gray, is removed and replaced by Marco Rubio. Rubio then resigns and names Peter Marocco the Acting Deputy Administrator for the agency, giving him absolute power to force his demands.
Disruption:
The acting head of the USAID, Jason Gray, is removed and replaced by Marco Rubio. Rubio then resigns and names Peter Marocco the Acting Deputy Administrator for the agency, giving him absolute power to force his demands.
| Person: | Marco Rubio, Peter Marocco |
| Source: | Within two weeks of President Trump’s return to the White House, U.S.A.I.D. was on the cusp of oblivion The New York Times, 6/22/25 |
| Agency: | USAID |
| DOGE Project: | Impunity |
2/03/25
Appointed:
Marco Rubio starts as Acting Administrator at USAID.
Appointed:
Marco Rubio starts as Acting Administrator at USAID.
| Appointed: | Marco Rubio 2/03/25-8/29/25 |
| Position Title: | Acting Administrator |
| Source: | Rubio hands off USAID closeout to OMB Director Vought Politico, 8/29/25 |
| Source: | Secretary Marco Rubio Appointed as Acting Administrator for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) US Department of State, 2/03/25 |
2/07/25
Disruption:
President Trump dismisses the Archivist of the United States, the head of the National Archives and the chief official responsible for preserving government records. Marco Rubio is named the Acting Archivist.
Disruption:
President Trump dismisses the Archivist of the United States, the head of the National Archives and the chief official responsible for preserving government records. Marco Rubio is named the Acting Archivist.
| Person: | Marco Rubio |
| Source: | Trump fires archivist of the United States, official who oversees government records CBS News, 2/07/25 |
| Source: | Rubio named acting director of another US government agency: report FOX News, 2/06/25 |
| Agency: | NARA |
| DOGE Project: | Impunity |
2/16/25
Appointed:
Marco Rubio starts as Acting Archivist at NARA.
Appointed:
Marco Rubio starts as Acting Archivist at NARA.
| Appointed: | Marco Rubio 2/16/25 |
| Position Title: | Acting Archivist |
| Source: | Trump Fired the Archivist of the United States Washington Monthly, 3/05/25 |
| Source: | Acting archivist, inspector general for National Archives forced out The Washington Post, 2/16/25 |
3/10/25
Official Action:
Posting from his account on X, Marco Rubio announces that the 6-week program review at USAID had concluded and 83% of programs (approximately 5200 contracts) had been cancelled. Only about 1000 awards were being continued.
Official Action:
Posting from his account on X, Marco Rubio announces that the 6-week program review at USAID had concluded and 83% of programs (approximately 5200 contracts) had been cancelled. Only about 1000 awards were being continued.
| Person: | Marco Rubio |
| Source: | Tweet from the X account of Marco Rubio X.com, 3/10/25 |
| Agency: | USAID |
| DOGE Project: | Spending |
3/25/25
Disruption:
The remaining board of the USIP – Marco Rubio and Mike Hegseth – terminate Kenneth Jackson as the acting president of the USIP and appoint Nate Cavanaugh to the position. The resolution also authorizes Nate Cavanaugh to dispose of the building belonging to the USIP.
Disruption:
The remaining board of the USIP – Marco Rubio and Mike Hegseth – terminate Kenneth Jackson as the acting president of the USIP and appoint Nate Cavanaugh to the position. The resolution also authorizes Nate Cavanaugh to dispose of the building belonging to the USIP.
| Person: | Kenneth Jackson, Marco Rubio, Nate Cavanaugh |
| Source: | USIP v. Jackson, doc 14-1 Court Document, 3/31/25 |
| Agency: | USIP |
| DOGE Project: | Elimination |
4/22/25
Disruption:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announces plans for a major reorganization of the State Department that would eliminate 132 offices and terminate roughly 700 positions in DC. It also would reduce monitoring of war crimes and global conflicts.
Disruption:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announces plans for a major reorganization of the State Department that would eliminate 132 offices and terminate roughly 700 positions in DC. It also would reduce monitoring of war crimes and global conflicts.
| Person: | Marco Rubio |
| Source: | Rubio unveils first stage of major State Department overhaul CNN, 4/22/25 |
| Agency: | State |
| DOGE Project: | Elimination, Anti-Personnel |
7/11/25
Disruption:
The State Department lays off more than 1300 people – many specializing in violent extremism, refugee resettlement and women’s rights – as part of a sweeping reorganization announced by Marco Rubio on April 22. The terminated staff will be placed on a 120-day administrative leave period before formally losing their jobs.
Disruption:
The State Department lays off more than 1300 people – many specializing in violent extremism, refugee resettlement and women’s rights – as part of a sweeping reorganization announced by Marco Rubio on April 22. The terminated staff will be placed on a 120-day administrative leave period before formally losing their jobs.
| Person: | Marco Rubio |
| Source: | State Department is firing more than 1,300 staff on Friday CNN, 7/11/25 |
| Agency: | State |
| DOGE Project: | Anti-DEI, Elimination |
7/14/25
Disruption:
Months after the destruction of USAID and folding in some of its staff and responsibilities into the US Department of State, the Trump administration incinerates 500 million tons of emergency food biscuits worth $800,000 rather than sending it to Afghanistan and Pakistan, where it could have fed 1.5 million children for a week because it was due to expire. Marco Rubio had promised the House Appropriations Committee that he would ensure food aid is distributed before expiration, but the government eliminated all aid to Afghanistan and refused to divert the food to other emergency crises. The cost of destroying the biscuits will be $130,000 making this nearly a $1 million dollar loss incurred by DOGE (not to mention lives that will be lost).
Disruption:
Months after the destruction of USAID and folding in some of its staff and responsibilities into the US Department of State, the Trump administration incinerates 500 million tons of emergency food biscuits worth $800,000 rather than sending it to Afghanistan and Pakistan, where it could have fed 1.5 million children for a week because it was due to expire. Marco Rubio had promised the House Appropriations Committee that he would ensure food aid is distributed before expiration, but the government eliminated all aid to Afghanistan and refused to divert the food to other emergency crises. The cost of destroying the biscuits will be $130,000 making this nearly a $1 million dollar loss incurred by DOGE (not to mention lives that will be lost).
| Person: | Marco Rubio |
| Source: | The Trump Administration Is About to Incinerate 500 Tons of Emergency Food The Atlantic, 7/14/25 |
| Agency: | State, USAID |
| DOGE Project: | Spending |
8/29/25
Offboarding:
Marco Rubio leaves role as Acting Administrator at USAID
Offboarding:
Marco Rubio leaves role as Acting Administrator at USAID
| Appointed: | Marco Rubio 2/03/25-8/29/25 |
| Position Title: | Acting Administrator |
| Source: | Rubio hands off USAID closeout to OMB Director Vought Politico, 8/29/25 |
| Source: | Secretary Marco Rubio Appointed as Acting Administrator for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) US Department of State, 2/03/25 |
Disruption:
Marco Rubio announces on TruthSocial that Russell Vought has been named as the new Acting Administrator of USAID to “oversee the closeout” of the agency after much of its staff was fired, certain responsibilities were absorbed into the State Department and grants were slashed
Disruption:
Marco Rubio announces on TruthSocial that Russell Vought has been named as the new Acting Administrator of USAID to “oversee the closeout” of the agency after much of its staff was fired, certain responsibilities were absorbed into the State Department and grants were slashed
| Person: | Marco Rubio, Russell Vought |
| Source: | Rubio hands off USAID closeout to OMB Director Vought Politico, 8/29/25 |
| Agency: | USAID |