Donald Trump Endorses Marco Rubio, Says He'll Never Let Country Down
Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) in a post on the messaging service Telegram on Friday morning.
"It is my honor to give U.S. Senator Marco Rubio my Complete and Total Endorsement," Trump wrote.
"Marco has been a tireless advocate for the people of Florida, fighting to cut taxes, supporting our Second Amendment, our Military and our Vets, a strong national defense, and all of the forgotten men and women of America."
The former president went on: "Marco worked with me to reform the VA and help our small businesses grow, and with his help, we achieved the lowest ever unemployment for women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and almost all Americans.
"Together, we worked closely with the Cuban and Venezuelan communities, and have made great progress. He also ruled that 'President Trump was in no way involved with Russia,' as he presided over the Senate Intelligence Committee on the FAKE Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax.
"Marco will never let the great people of Florida, or our Country, down!"
Rubio has represented Florida in the Senate since 2011 and has announced his intention to run for a third term in 2022. In 2016, he won 52 percent of the vote, beating Democratic candidate Patrick Murphy.
The senator sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 and clashed publicly with Trump during the primary campaign, including on the debate stage. Trump referred to him as "Little Marco"—one of the many nicknames he deployed against his rivals.
However, after Trump won the nomination and then the presidency, Rubio became a key ally. As chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, he played a vital role in the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.
"We can say, without any hesitation, that the committee found absolutely no evidence that then-candidate Donald Trump or his campaign colluded with the Russian government to meddle in the 2016 election," Rubio said in a statement on August 18, 2020.
Trump remains banned from Twitter, where he once frequently shared his opinions, as well as other mainstream social media apps. He has recently started posting endorsements and criticisms of GOP lawmakers on Telegram, an encrypted messaging site.
The former president endorsed Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin on Thursday. He also offered harsh criticism of another Republican, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, for vetoing a bill that would restrict health care for young transgender people.
4/9/21 9.25am E.T.: This article has been updated.
