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Marco Rubio has made history as the first Latino to serve as US secretary of state, the country's top diplomat.

Mr Rubio is serving in one of the most important roles in Donald Trump's administration - despite the fact he once mocked him for his "small hands" and criticised his foreign policy experience.

The 53-year-old has advocated for a muscular approach to China and Iran but has opposed further funding for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

So who is the Sunshine State senator turned top representative of the US?

A 'historic' appointment

Mr Rubio was born in 1971 to Cuban parents who immigrated to America a couple of years before the Cuban Revolution - though he has at times claimed they arrived after the revolution in what some have said was a bid to enhance his own image.

Neither his mother nor his father were US citizens when he was born but they applied and were naturalised a few years after his birth.

Mr Rubio is the first Latino to serve as US secretary of state and his selection came after Mr Trump's decisive election victory, in which he enjoyed the support of a significant proportion of America's Hispanic population.

Mauricio Claver-Carone, a Rubio ally and former National Security Council aide, said after his selection: "This is the time Latin America will most be on the map in the history of any US presidency. It's historic. There's no other way to say it."

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From working with Democrats to 'severe conservative'

Mr Rubio was elected to Florida's state house of representatives in the 1990s and went on to serve as Speaker.

Described during one period as something of a centrist who worked with Democrats, his tenure as Speaker was marked by a much more conservative stance on various issues.

"I think Marco is a severe conservative, really far to the right, but probably the most talented spokesman the severe right could ever hope for," said Dan Gelber, who was leader of the Florida House Democrats during Mr Rubio's tenure as Speaker.

In an interesting move, he delivered a speech in which he asked his fellow representatives to look under their desks, where they found a copy of a book titled 100 Innovative Ideas For Florida's Future - except the book was blank and Rubio said they would fill it out together with the Floridian people.

He set about travelling the state and talking to the public and subsequently published the book. Some 24 of the ideas were passed into law.

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'Little Marco' Rubio v 'Small hands' Trump

After serving as Florida House Speaker, Mr Rubio's profile only grew as he went on to be elected senator for the state.

In 2012, he endorsed Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination and in 2016 he threw his own hat into the ring, lining himself up against future president Donald Trump.

At a rally in Dallas in February 2016, Mr Rubio spent around 10 minutes laying into Mr Trump, who famously referred to him as "little Marco" during the race.

"A tough guy?" Mr Rubio scoffed. "This guy inherited $200m. He's never faced any struggle."

He also made a dig at Mr Trump's "small hands".

Mr Rubio ultimately endorsed Mr Trump for the 2016 nomination, becoming much more aligned with the president in the years following.

Role dominated by Ukraine and Gaza wars

The new Trump administration is facing a more dangerous and volatile world than it was when Mr Trump first took office in 2017.

Wars in Gaza and Ukraine continue to rage while America's adversaries have become bolder and more aligned.

And Mr Rubio has been a key part in Mr Trump's harsher approach to Ukraine and his support for Israel - though it has been envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff who Mr Trump has entrusted to lead both sets of war negotiations.

Mr Rubio has fully endorsed Israel's war aims in the Gaza Strip. He met with top Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in February, saying afterwards that Hamas cannot continue as either a military or government force.

"As long as it stands as a force that can govern or as a force that can administer or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible," he said.

"It must be eradicated."

Several rounds of talks have taken place in Saudi Arabia between the US and Russia, controversially cutting Ukraine out.

But US officials have reportedly been holding separate talks with Ukrainian officials.

In mid-March, Mr Rubio urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to the truce "so people will stop dying, so bullets will stop flying".

Speaking after talks between US and Ukrainian officials, he said there was "no military solution to the conflict" and warned: "If [Russia] says no, it will tell us a lot about what their goals are and what their mindset is."

Mr Rubio also revealed there had been "conversations" during the meeting about territorial concessions to Russia - something Ukrainian President Volodymyr ZelenAG百家乐在线官网y has branded a "red line" in his country's "fight for independence".

Both Russia and Ukraine have accused the other of undermining efforts to reach a pause in the three-year-old war.

Mr Rubio has advocated for a muscular, "hawkish" foreign policy towards America's geopolitical foes, including China, Iran and Cuba.

Mr Rubio was sanctioned by China in 2020 over his stance on Hong Kong following democracy protests.

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During Mr Trump's first term, Mr Rubio co-sponsored legislation that would make it harder for the president to withdraw from NATO by requiring two-thirds of the Senate to ratify withdrawal.

However, most of the president's allies preach restraint, particularly in Europe, where many Republicans complain US allies are not paying their fair share on defence.