Marco Rubio Steps Down As Acting Archivist Role At US National Archives

Last Updated:February 06, 2026, 16:50 IST

The national archivist oversees the management and preservation of official government records and leads the National Archives.

US Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio has stepped down from his role as acting archivist of the United States, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) confirmed on Thursday.

The national archivist oversees the management and preservation of official government records and leads the National Archives. The agency came under sharp criticism from US President Donald Trump after it referred his handling of classified documents to the Justice Department in 2022.

Soon after returning to office last year, Trump dismissed then archivist Colleen Shogan and appointed Rubio as acting head of the National Archives. The role was added to Rubio’s growing list of responsibilities within the administration.

Rubio’s wide range of roles has drawn public attention and sparked jokes online, but it also reflects his central position in Trump’s inner circle. The two were once political rivals and traded personal attacks during the 2016 Republican presidential race, but have since forged a close working relationship.

According to NARA’s general counsel, Matt Dummermuth, Rubio stepped aside from the archivist role to comply with the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. The law limits how long a person can serve in a Senate-confirmed position on an acting basis.

Rubio has passed his authority at the National Archives to James Byron, a senior adviser within the agency.

The National Archives played a central role in the 2022 investigation into Trump’s retention of official documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence. Trump was later indicted, but the case was dropped after he won the 2024 presidential election.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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