It’s not every day that history is made with a heartfelt speech in Spanish followed by a joke about car insurance. But that’s exactly what happened when Former United States Senator Marco Rubio was sworn in as the country’s 72nd Secretary of State.
Appointed by President Donald Trump during his second administration, Rubio was confirmed unanimously by the Senate. In his first speech as Secretary of State, Rubio spoke directly to his Cuban heritage, delivering an emotional segment in fluent Spanish. And then he made his go-to joke about Geico.
So, who is Marco Rubio, and how did he go from Miami to the heights of national diplomacy?
Who is Marco Rubio?
Born on May 28, 1971, in Miami, Florida, Rubio is the son of Cuban immigrants who fled their homeland during the Batista regime. The family moved between Miami and Las Vegas, where Rubio’s father worked as a bartender and his mother as a hotel housekeeper. During this time, Rubio briefly converted to Mormonism before returning to his Roman Catholic roots.
In 1985, the family returned to Florida, where Rubio’s political aspirations began to take shape.
After earning a degree from the University of Florida in 1993 and a law degree from the University of Miami in 1996, Rubio’s political career took off. He worked for Republican congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Hispanic woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, before serving in the Florida House of Representatives. Rubio’s tenure included stints as majority leader and speaker, becoming a rising star in the GOP.
“After dropping out of the U.S. presidential election of 2016, Rubio underwent a political shift,” the site Brittanica explains. “While once a favorite of the party’s establishment, he has become a leading proponent of conservative populism.”
Rubio’s Spanish Speech: Pride, Faith, and … Geico?
During his inaugural remarks, Rubio paused to address the Spanish-speaking community.
“If I may take the liberty for just 15 seconds to say something in Spanish because I know a lot of people back home would be very proud and I want to make sure I acknowledge that,” Rubio said before thanking God, and acknowledging his parents, who came to “this country in 1956,” and praising the United States, all in fluent Spanish.
Since Vice President JD Vance and others probably didn’t understand a word of his heartfelt message, Rubio did what no other Secretary of State has done before him. He cracked a well-timed, and witty joke most would understand. He looked over at Vance and said: “I just said I saved a bunch of money by switching to GEICO. That’s what I said.”
Everyone laughed at the unexpected punchline. Then, without missing a beat, Rubio went on to “end by thanking Almighty God and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
This isn’t the first time Rubio joked about saving money on car insurance when translating his Spanish speeches. In 2012, he delivered a speech to the Latino Coalition then joked “for those who do not speak Spanish, I gave a brief synopsis on how I saved a bunch of money on my car insurance.” Again, it was a nod to Geico’s insurance company’s commercials.
What Rubio’s Appointment Means for America
So, what does Rubio’s historic appointment signify? Beyond the milestone of being the first Hispanic Secretary of State, Rubio’s leadership will bring a different, aka Latino, perspective to U.S. diplomacy. Will he speak more Spanish and crack more Geico jokes? Only time will tell.
