Marco Rubio Tightens State Department Control Following Ethics Concerns and Midterm Losses

Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered senior State Department officials to eliminate conflicts of interest and restrict uncoordinated policy initiatives, according to individuals familiar with an internal meeting.

Rubio instructed approximately two dozen assistant secretaries of state that all major policy decisions now require formal sign-off from himself or Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. He warned that unethical conduct will result in immediate dismissal regardless of an official's personal connections, and mandated that all political travel receive advance approval through his office.

Following the directive, State Department policy chief Jeremy Lewin left his post amid questions regarding whether he handled matters outside his portfolio without administrative coordination, though no ethical misconduct was alleged against him. The department directives followed the mid-October resignation of United States Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle after allegations that she traded access to administration officials for financial compensation and gifts.

Guilfoyle denied the allegations on social media and pledged to defend her reputation. Rubio also dismissed reporting that he intends to resign from the administration, stating that he plans to serve through President Donald Trump's full term. Rubio currently serves concurrently as National Security Adviser. Addressing the Republican Party's midterm election losses, Rubio defended administration actions, specifically backing Trump's military strikes against Iran as necessary national security measures.

He is scheduled to travel to France to represent the administration at a Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting following an earlier Group of Twenty gathering in Atlanta that concluded without a joint communique.