Trump picks Marco Rubio to be secretary of state

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Marco Rubio to be his secretary of state (Evan Vucci/AP)

President-elect Donald Trump named Marco Rubio of Florida as his nominee for secretary of state on Wednesday, setting up a one-time critic who evolved into one of the president-elect’s fiercest defenders to become the nation’s top diplomat.

The conservative politician is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Mr Trump’s running mate this summer.