Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens as President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before departing the White House on March 20, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times
Secretary of State Marco Rubio took the witness stand on March 24 in the federal trial of former U.S. Rep. David Rivera (R-Fla.), a longtime friend of his who is accused of secretly lobbying on behalf of Venezuela’s government.
While Rubio has not been accused of wrongdoing, prosecutors argue that Rivera viewed him as a key way to gain access to the White House—underscoring how personal political relationships may have been leveraged in an alleged foreign influence campaign.
