Marco Rubio is on everyone's minds. The Secretary of State has been dominating headlines globally, becoming a key figure in Donald Trump's administration. The discussions have prompted an interest in his private life. Rubio has been married to Jeanette Rubio for the past decades, sharing four children. She's been a constant presence in his political career.
Jeanette Rubio has Latin roots, like her husband, who's of Cuban descent. Jeanette's family immigrated to the US from Colombia. Like Marco Rubio, Jeaneatte was born and raised in Miami, alongside her three siblings, in a Catholic household. Her faith is something that has been prevalent throughout her life, with her becoming an active member in her local church and hosting Bible study classes in her home.
Though Jeanette's life is mostly private, the media has an interest in her due to her husband's role in politics, discovering some tidbits of information, like the fact that she was a cheerleader for the Miami Dolphins. PerThe New York Times, Jeanette joined the Dolphins cheerleading squad in 1997, after the idea was suggested to her by her sister, who was already part of the team.
The role demanded rigorous training. While Jeanette was in the squad for only a year, she had a workout schedule that consisted of following a strict routine four times and maintaining a specific weight. “She wasn’t that type of cheerleader,” said former teammate Natalie Vickers. “She was more introverted than 95% of the team.”
After high school, Jeanette attended Miami Dade College while working part-time as a bank teller. She later enrolled in fashion design studies at the International Fine Arts College but left shortly before graduating, after becoming pregnant with her first child.
Jeanette and Marco Rubio’s love story
Jeanette and Marco Rubio met over 30 years ago at the West Miami Recreation Center. According to The Tampa Bay Times, Rubio was 19 and studying at the University of Florida when they began dating, while she was 17 and a student at South Miami Senior High School, which is the same school Rubio attended.
After several years together, the couple split up briefly around 1995. Two years later, on Valentine’s Day, Rubio proposed at the Empire State Building, inspired by the film "Sleepless in Seattle," the location where the lead stars met. They married on October 28, 1998, in a Catholic ceremony at the Church of the Little Flower in Coral Gables, Florida.
Their growing family
The Rubios settled in West Miami, where they are raising four children — two daughters and two sons. Their eldest, Amanda, born in 2000, is now 25 and studied journalism. Some of her work includes on the outlet NBC. Daniella, 23, is studying law at the University of Virginia.
Their son, Anthony, 20, plays college football and is a running back for the Florida Gators of the University of Florida. In late 2024, he drew national attention after scoring the game-winning touchdown in the Gasparilla Bowl against Tulane. The youngest, Dominick, was born in 2007 and is 18.