Recently appointed as the acting director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Secretary of State Marco Rubio has assumed an additional responsibility as the acting director of the U.S. Archives. This move comes amidst President Donald Trump's new administration reshuffling key positions.
Trump's decision to replace the former national archivist, Colleen Shogan, appointed by former President Joe Biden, was prompted by concerns over classified documents allegedly taken by Trump to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida post his term. This led to an FBI raid and subsequent indictment of Trump by former Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Rubio has been serving as the acting archivist since Trump's inauguration as the 47th president. His current State Department trip to Central America saw him successfully persuading the Panamanian president to terminate a Belt and Roads project deal with China, citing strategic concerns over the Panama Canal.
The Trump administration's review of foreign aid spending has resulted in program suspensions and layoffs. Rubio, during his visit to Guatemala, highlighted the importance of aid aligned with national interests, such as programs aiding in fugitive identification and combating drug trafficking.
Furthermore, Rubio emphasized the extradition prioritization of strategic fugitives to strengthen partnerships and combat transnational threats. The recent agreement with Panama to waive fees for U.S. government vessels transiting the Panama Canal is expected to save millions annually, despite conflicting statements from the Panama Canal Authority.
Republican ally Rep. Carlos Giménez praised Rubio's efforts in implementing Trump's foreign policy vision, particularly in countering Chinese influence in Panama. Rubio's focus on immigration issues, including managing migrant flows and facilitating deportations, has resulted in agreements with El Salvador and Guatemala to accept deportees from the U.S.
