US President Donald Trump appeared to have put Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an awkward spot during a televised meeting with oil and gas executives. Trump read aloud a private note from the senator in front of the cameras.
Rubio, who made headlines last October for his active role in political diplomacy, was again in the spotlight after he passed a handwritten note to Trump at the White House. He passed the piece of information when Trump was having a word with Ryan Lance, CEO of ConocoPhillips.
Trump, who was seated between him and Vice President JD Vance, acknowledged it, saying, "Marco just gave me a note," and began reading it aloud to the room.
The note read, "Go back to Chevron. They want to discuss something. Go back to Chevron." Vance was visibly amused, laughing on one side, while Rubio appeared slightly uncomfortable.
After reading it, Trump patted Rubio on the back and thanked him for reminding him. "Thank you, Marco," Trump said.
During the meeting, someone off-camera asked Trump if there was a question. To which, Trump replied, "Yes, go ahead." He picked up the note again and turned to Rubio, asking him to explain what he had written.
Earlier in October, Rubio made headlines when he hinted at a major development in the Gaza conflict. The note, captured in a photograph by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci, suggested that Trump could soon announce a ceasefire deal on his social media platform.
"I was just given a note by the secretary of state saying that we're very close to a deal on the Middle East, and they're gonna need me pretty quickly," the note read.
