Rubio slams CNN report he's 'frustrated' by Witkoff's role

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday slammed a CNN report that he is "frustrated" by the role one of President Trump’s closest friends, billionaire Steve Witkoff, is playing in the administration.

"@CNN is an anti-Trump gossip tabloid that uses thinly sourced stories to generate clicks and try to make trouble. Witkoff is one of the people I work with the CLOSEST on our team. These people are pathetic," he wrote Friday in a post on the social platform X, sharing the CNN piece.

The report said Rubio "lobbied" to serve as secretary of State after he wasn't selected to serve as Trump's vice president.

"What Rubio didn’t count on was that he might run the risk of being overshadowed as secretary of state by one of Trump’s closest friends, real estate developer and billionaire Steve Witkoff," CNN reported.

Witkoff, who was relatively unknown until recently, has rapidly increased his visibility beyond his role as special envoy to the Middle East. Since returning to the White House, Trump has relied on Witkoff, a longtime friend, to implement key aspects of his foreign policy agenda, including crucial ceasefire talks in Gaza and negotiations with Russia over the Ukraine war.

“Special Envoy Witkoff has brought a wealth of private sector negotiating experience and urgency to the diplomatic stage and we’re already seeing results in just a few weeks,” White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said in a statement to The Hill last month.

“He has been an integral part of President Trump’s national security team to restore peace to the world," the statement added.

Officials added that Witkoff's role is attributed to his close personal connection with Trump and their common experience in real estate transactions, according to officials.

Witkoff’s friendship with Trump dates back decades. He testified in November 2023 as a defense witness in Trump’s civil fraud trial in New York, recounting how they first met at a New York City deli in the 1980s.

The Hill reached out to Witkoff's office for comment.

Topics

Canadian reporters grill Rubio over Trump's 51st state talk

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday faced pointed questions from Canadian journalists over the seriousness of President Trump’s calls for Canada to become the 51st state and the trade war with ...
The Hill - Mar. 14
Witkoff says administration is 'exploring' alternatives for Gaza relocation

Trump administration special envoy Steve Witkoff said the administration is “exploring” alternatives for relocation of the Palestinian people after President Trump said he would potentially take ...
The Hill - 5d
'SNL' cold open spoofs Rubio, Musk clash mediated by Trump

The recent “Saturday Night Live” cold open spoofed a reported clash between tech billionaire Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In the sketch, James Austin Johnson’s President Trump is ...
The Hill - Mar. 9
Trump insists Musk, Rubio have 'great relationship'

President Trump insisted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and close Trump adviser Elon Musk have a "great relationship" following an explosive report that the two clashed during a contentious ...
The Hill - Mar. 9
What to know about Steve Witkoff, a key figure in Trump's international negotiations

NBC News Chief International Correspondent Keir Simmons reports on U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s growing stature in the Trump administration as the U.S. engages in diplomatic talks around the ...
NBC News - Mar. 7
Trump downplays infighting between Elon Musk, Marco Rubio, other officials

President Trump is backing a House Republican plan to avert a government shutdown next week. He also played down reports of in-fighting in his Cabinet with advisor Elon Musk. Nikole Killion has the ...
CBS News - Mar. 8
Rubio, Brennan tangle over Trump’s tariff impacts

Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined CBS News’s Margaret Brennan on Sunday’s “Face the Nation,” where he was pressed about the implications of President Trump’s tariff plan. “Isn’t there a risk ...
The Hill - 5d
Marco Rubio: one-time Russia hawk makes stunning U-turn under Trump

The secretary of state was once a prominent Ukraine supporter and called Putin a ‘war criminal’ – not any more. Marco Rubio , the US secretary of state, looked on as Donald Trump demanded more ...
The Guardian - Mar. 8
Witkoff says Zelensky apologized in letter to Trump

President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky apologized to Trump in a letter after a explosive public argument during an Oval Office meeting. “Zelensky ...
The Hill - Mar. 10