Secretary of State Marco Rubio is advising his department to cease refugee resettlement operations and begin ramping up vetting of visas from certain regions.

The Senate voted on Monday to confirm Marco Rubio as President Donald Trump’s secretary of state, the first high-level Cabinet official for the new administration to be approved by the chamber.

Marco Rubio has been confirmed by the Senate as the country’s next secretary of state. The nomination of the senior senator from Florida, 53, was confirmed on Monday, Jan. 20, hours after Donald Trump took the oath of office as the 47th president.

The Republican-controlled Senate plans to work overtime to approve President Donald Trump’s cabinet, including “nights, weekends, recesses,” according to Senate Majority Leader John Thune. Senate Democrats plan to slow down the process as much as possible – their only choice to disrupt the proceedings because it takes only a majority vote to approve nominees.

Watch live as Marco Rubio, Donald Trump's new Secretary of State, delivers remarks to employees at the Department of State upon his arrival after he was sworn into office.

Donald Trump has taken back control of the White House, with his presidential inauguration taking place on Monday.

Rubio is seen as a steady foreign policy hand who has the confidence of Trump and Senate colleagues from both parties.

After a unanimous confirmation vote hours after the President was inaugurated Monday, the former Senator was sworn as Secretary of State on Tuesday. Rubio promised to help Trump deliver on a foreign policy vision for which he has a “clear mandate.”

Vice President J.D. Vance swore in the former Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody as a new senator this week. The Senate seat was filled as Rubio was confirmed to be President Donald Trump’s Secretary of State. Read: As Trump, Desantis threaten mass deportations, Florida business experts concerned — but skeptical

Observers welcome Rubio’s statements that they say indicate continuity in US policy and ‘more robust support’ for Manila in South China Sea row.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order initiating a process to redesignate the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels as a foreign terrorist organization.