Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as their wives, attended the Olympics opening together earlier in 2026. (Kevin Lamarque / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Vance led the U.S.' delegation to the Security Conference in 2025, and delivered a speech that was viewed as a defining moment for the newly inaugurated Trump White House and for Vance himself on the world stage. Vance warned in his 2025 speech that European governments and institutions are drifting toward censorship, citing policies he said police speech, curb religious expression and pressure online platforms.
Trump lauded both of the administration leaders in his remarks, explaining that while the pair approach diplomacy "very differently," the "result is the same."
The president first celebrated Vance, remarking that he is "brilliant" and an excellent student.
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"JD graduated in a four-and-a-half-year college in two years, and then he went to Yale, and he graduated at the top of his class, went to the military. Great. But when he went to Yale, there was one person that was marginally ahead of him. So he married her. Can you believe it? He married the person that was ahead," Trump said, referring to second lady Usha Vance.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a bilateral meeting with China's Foreign Minister (not in picture) in Munich, Feb. 13, 2026, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. ( Alex Brandon / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
"I want my guys to do great. And the acclaim he's gotten, and they claim JD gets is, is great," he continued.
The praise follows Rubio and Vance joining a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni earlier in February in Italy, and Vance leading a delegation that included Rubio during the Olympics' opening ceremony in Milan.
Vance’s foreign policy profile became a point of media scrutiny earlier in 2026, when U.S. forces captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. Vance did not join Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida to monitor the operation, while Rubio was with the president.
Vance's office previously brushed off reports over his absence, citing that Trump and Vance limit the "frequency and duration" of time they spend together outside the White House due to "increased security concerns."
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"I think it’s so interesting the media wants to create this conflict where there just isn’t any conflict," Vance told Fox News earlier in February of the media scrutiny.
"Marco’s doing a great job. I’m trying to do as good of a job as I can. The president’s doing a great job. We’re going to keep on working together," he added.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-hails-vance-rubio-extraordinary-duo-hammer-velvet-glove