Trump says US ‘solved tremendous problem’ with Syria, calls Marco Rubio best secretary of state

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump said the United States has “solved a tremendous problem” with Syria, crediting Secretary of State Marco Rubio for playing a central role, while stopping short of offering details.

Trump made the remarks during a Fox News interview on Tuesday, Jan 27, hours after speaking directly with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.

While the White House has not outlined what was resolved, Trump framed the development as a diplomatic breakthrough and used the moment to heap praise on Rubio, calling him the best secretary of state the country has ever had.

Trump hints at breakthrough after call with Syrian president

Trump’s comments came during an appearance on ‘The Will Cain Show’, where he said the US had worked “in conjunction with Syria” to address an unspecified issue. The remarks followed his conversation with Ahmed Al-Sharaa earlier in the day, amid ongoing US efforts to stabilize the region.

Washington has been engaged in quiet shuttle diplomacy aimed at securing a lasting ceasefire and political arrangement between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and Sharaa’s government. The SDF was once America’s closest partner in Syria, but US policy has shifted as the administration seeks a broader settlement.

Trump offered no timeline or specifics, but the administration has signaled that diplomacy, not prolonged military involvement, remains the priority.

Trump credits Marco Rubio for shaping his diplomacy

Alongside the Syria comments, Trump once again spotlighted Rubio’s growing influence inside the administration. Speaking separately at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said Rubio helped “train” him to become more diplomatic in dealing with world leaders.

Trump shared an anecdote about Chinese President Xi Jinping asking him to stop referring to COVID-19 as the “China virus.” According to Trump, Rubio advised him to avoid unnecessary conflict.

“I decided to do that because why should we have a problem over that?” Trump said. “I became a diplomat for the first time. Well, you know, taught me that? Marco Rubio. He said, ‘Let me teach you about diplomacy.’”

Rubio’s expanding power inside the Trump administration

Rubio has taken on an unusually broad role in Trump’s second term. In addition to serving as secretary of state, he is also acting as national security advisor and head of the National Archives. He is the first person since Henry Kissinger during the Nixon era to simultaneously lead the State Department and oversee the National Security Council.

Foreign policy experts say Rubio’s influence stems from his ability to align closely with Trump’s instincts rather than resist them.

“He understands who the boss is and channels those instincts into constructive directions,” Matthew Kroenig of the Atlantic Council told Fox News Digital.

Rubio has also emerged as a key architect of US policy in Venezuela. Long a critic of Nicolas Maduro, Rubio supported efforts to remove the Venezuelan leader, who was captured on January 3 following a US operation. Trump later announced that the US would oversee Venezuela during a transition period, a move that has drawn criticism from Democrats.

Rubio has defended the operation, arguing it did not require congressional approval because it was not an invasion.

Trump said Rubio’s unanimous Senate confirmation in January 2025 speaks for itself.

“He got liberal Democrats and radical right Republicans to approve him,” Trump said. “Now it turns out the Democrats probably wish they didn’t do that. And Marco has been fantastic.”