US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has formally added the role of White House national security adviser, consolidating two of the administration's most important foreign-policy jobs under one official.
President Donald Trump signed the appointment after Rubio had served as acting national security adviser since May 1 of last year. The White House confirmed the appointment, although the date of the presidential signature was not disclosed in the reporting.
Two foreign-policy roles under one official
The national security adviser coordinates policy across the White House National Security Council and advises the president on foreign affairs, defense and intelligence. Rubio was already involved in those decisions while leading the State Department, but the formal appointment removes the temporary status from that arrangement.
The combination is unusual in modern US government. The report identifies Henry Kissinger as the only previous official to have simultaneously served as secretary of state and national security adviser, making Rubio the second person to hold both posts at once.
The change gives one official a central role in both diplomatic execution and White House security coordination. For US allies, including South Korea, the practical significance will come from how the combined structure affects policy formation, interagency coordination and the channels through which foreign governments engage Washington.