 "US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with the media on his military airplane as he flies to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 10, 2025. File Image/Reuters")
A high-ranking official at the US State Department has come under scrutiny for making disparaging comments about Secretary of State Marco Rubio, including spreading unsubstantiated rumours about his sexuality.
Darren Beattie, the acting undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, was found to have posted a series of offensive social media comments targeting Rubio. The posts, which have since been deleted, resurfaced this week after an investigation by CNN, drawing widespread backlash.
Beattie, who previously served as a speechwriter during the Trump administration, was fired in 2018 after it was revealed that he attended a conference featuring White nationalists.
Following his dismissal, he launched the far-right media outlet, Revolver News, which later became known for amplifying conspiracy theories related to the January 6 Capitol riots.
However, Beattie was reappointed to a key position within the State Department after Donald Trump returned to office in 2025.
His appointment has reignited controversy, particularly after CNN unearthed several now-deleted tweets in which Beattie ridiculed Rubio, mocked his intelligence, and promoted baseless rumours about his sexuality.
Deleted tweets referenced Rubio’s sexuality and ‘foam parties’
Among the most controversial tweets was one posted on January 7, 2021, a day after the Capitol riots. Beattie referenced an old, unsubstantiated rumour about Rubio’s sexuality that originated from a curfew violation at Wainwright Park during Rubio’s teenage years.
In the tweet, Beattie wrote: “Forget Wainwright park, forget the foam, forget the war promotion and the neocon sugar daddies, forget the low IQ, forget the 2016 primary, Rubio is TOUGH ON CHINA (and good for the military industrial complex). So be a good DOG and vote for him!!!”
The reference to “foam” was interpreted as a nod to a baseless claim from Rubio’s political past, which alleged that he attended foam parties at gay nightclubs. Another tweet by Beattie stated: “What happens in the Cabana stays in the Cabana #Rubio,” seemingly continuing to perpetuate the rumour.
“Does Marco Rubio have a future in politics?” Beattie reportedly asked in another deleted tweet.
Beattie deleted three other tweets from July 23, 2020, that called efforts to rebrand Rubio a nationalist a “scam,” “nonsense” and “fake.”
“The idea behind the Hawley/Rubio scam is this. They are smart enough to know the rebranded neoconservatism of Nikki Haley and Crenshaw has no legs. Also smart enough to know free-market libertarianism has no legs,” Beattie had written, reported CNN.
These comments have resurfaced at a critical time when Rubio has transitioned from a sharp critic of Trump to a prominent ally, now serving as Secretary of State in Trump’s second term.
What Beattie’s controversial history tells us
Beattie’s controversial social media activity is not limited to his comments about Rubio. In the past, his far-right media platform, R_evolver News_, has promoted multiple conspiracy theories, including false claims that the January 6 Capitol riots were orchestrated by government agencies.
Revolver News also suggested that the Black Hawk helicopter collision with an American Airlines jet over the Potomac River was planned and that former US President Barack Obama manipulated high-profile court cases.
Beattie was previously dismissed from the Trump White House in 2018 after it was revealed that he had attended a conference featuring White nationalists.
Despite his past controversies, Beattie was brought back in 2025 by Trump to serve as acting undersecretary for public diplomacy. However, his continued association with extremist views and incendiary remarks has fuelled widespread outrage, especially from Democrats.
Adding to the backlash, CNN uncovered that on the day the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, Revolver News posted: “BREAKING: It’s now legal to shoot women having abortions in New York City with your Supreme Court-issued concealed handgun.”
How Rubio has responded
Despite the growing controversy, Rubio has largely remained silent on the matter. When approached for comment about Beattie’s offensive remarks, Rubio stated that his focus was on combating online censorship as part of his State Department role.
He also clarified that Beattie’s position was temporary, as acting officials cannot serve beyond 300 days without Senate confirmation.
However, Beattie’s controversial past and inflammatory comments have made Senate confirmation unlikely. Several Democratic leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have called for Beattie’s immediate removal, citing his long history of promoting far-right extremism, misogyny, and conspiracy theories.
In response to the uproar, Beattie responded to CNN saying that Rubio was “100 percent America First and it’s a tremendous honour to work for him in advancing President Trump’s world historical agenda.”
Rubio, who has been married to his wife Jeanette Dousdebes since 1998 and has four children, has never directly addressed the persistent rumours about his sexuality.
However, political analysts believe that the resurfacing of Beattie’s old tweets could further polarise Rubio’s already complex standing within the Republican Party.
Can this impact Rubio’s political future?
The renewed attention on Rubio’s sexuality and the growing criticism of his association with far-right figures like Beattie have sparked speculation about his future in politics.
Some political commentators believe that Rubio’s rapid shift from a Trump critic to one of his most loyal allies has made him vulnerable to attacks from both the far-right and liberal critics.
Moreover, Beattie’s continued presence in the State Department, despite his widely condemned remarks, could place additional pressure on Rubio.
With his temporary appointment set to expire in early 2026, it remains unclear whether Rubio will push for Beattie’s full-time confirmation or allow him to quietly exit the administration.
With inputs from agencies