When Marco Rubio and Donald Trump first encountered each other as rivals in the 2016 Republican primary, the contrasts could not have been starker. Trump denounced George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq as a disaster, while Rubio defended it with difficulty; the two naturally traded insults. After Rubio's nomination as Secretary of State in 2024, speculation abounded that he would be a mere placeholder, perhaps serving no longer than his predecessor from Trump's first term, Rex Tillerson. But the US military raid on 3 January that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife ensures that Rubio will leave a greater mark on the second Trump presidency.