Marco Rubio’s expanded role and April jobs and unemployment report: Morning Rundown

Marco Rubio’s reaches new heights in the Trump administration. The latest jobs report is expected to reflect the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s sweeping tariffs. Plus, a look ahead at the biggest storylines of the Kentucky Derby.  

Here’s what to know today.

Marco Rubio’s swift rise to a central spot in Trump’s orbit

Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s position in the Trump administration expanded again yesterday when the president announced he would take on the role of interim national security adviser. Rubio’s predecessor, Mike Waltz, will be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Trump said.

Waltz, a former Florida congressman, has been on shaky ground since he inadvertently added a journalist to a private Signal chat with other top national security officials to discuss military strikes in Yemen. Trump had initially nominated Rep. Elise Stefanik for the high-profile U.N. ambassador post but withdrew her nomination a few weeks ago, citing Republicans’ thin House majority.

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For Rubio, the new role adds to his list of responsibilities. He’s also the acting administrator for the diminished U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as acting archivist of the National Archives and Records Administration. Also noteworthy: No one has been secretary of state and national security adviser simultaneously since Henry Kissinger 50 years ago.

It’s a remarkable shift in fortunes for Rubio, who sparred sharply with Trump in the past and who risked being overshadowed early on in his second White House term.

Remember a few months ago, when Rubio took his first trip as secretary of state to Latin America? Then, he was caught off guard by drastic changes to foreign aid and Trump’s public backing for turning the Gaza Strip into a Middle East Riviera. Over the next 10 days, he was also blindsided by foreign policy pronouncements from top administration officials.

But things have changed since then as Rubio figured out a strategy to minimize such frustrations, adapting some of his foreign policy positions while endearing himself to Trump and his allies. He’s eating at noteworthy restaurants, attending high-profile events and making it a point to spend more time at the White House and Mar-a-Lago, according to more than a dozen senior current and foreign administration officials, congressional officials and others who are close to Rubio or the White House.

Foreign diplomats, too, have noticed the change.

Read the full story here.

More politics news:

• Trump’s immigration efforts have broken norms and bent the law — and all the cases have a distinct hallmark: speed.
• A Trump-appointed federal judge rejected the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans it alleges are members of Tren de Aragua.
• A growing fight among Republicans about the “SALT” tax deduction could complicate negotiations of Trump’s agenda bill.
• More than 20 state-level DOGE organizations have been rolled out, but they’ve so far taken a far lighter touch than Trump’s federal DOGE launch. Here’s why.
• Trump’s poll numbers are currently lagging. Come 2026, Republicans hope to rekindle the kind of energy he brings when he is on the ballot as the party tries to retain its majorities in Congress.
• Prominent Washington defense attorney Abbe Lowell and two vocal critics of big law firms’ deals with Trump are starting a new firm.

Jobs growth is likely slowing

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release its latest data today, with forecasts predicting 133,000 jobs added in April, lower than the previous month’s 228,000. The unemployment rate is anticipated to remain unchanged at 4.2%. 

Trump’s major “Liberation Day” tariff announcement exactly a month ago generated massive uncertainty and sent stocks tumbling in the weeks that followed, though markets have largely recovered from initial losses and major tech companies like Microsoft have sailed through relatively unscathed. Still, some of the worst impacts have only recently begun to appear. 

Tariffs aside, Trump’s other policies — from DOGE staffing cuts to immigration crackdowns — may be hindering job growth.

Inside the slow-grinding criminal case that let a man languish in jail for 940 days

A Mississippi man spent two and a half years in a county jail waiting for a trial that would never come, even after the police who accused him were arrested in the case. Reporter Jon Schuppe, who has covered the Mississippi Capitol Police extensively in recent years, shared his experience putting together this story:

“This is a story I never expected to write. In early 2023, while investigating a string of shootings by the Mississippi Capitol Police, I wrote to Sinatra Jordan, who was in jail on charges alleging he shot at police officers during a chase through downtown Jackson that ended with his friend shot in the head. He told me in a letter and in phone calls that he never had a gun. But it was his word against the officers’. I wrote a story about the case and moved on.

“Jordan kept calling me, though. Months, then years, passed, and he remained in jail without any progress in his case, or any clue when he might get a day in court. I began to see his ordeal as an emblem of our deeply flawed criminal justice system. Despite the constitutional right to a speedy trial, people all over Mississippi, and in other parts of the country, spend years in jail without being deemed innocent or guilty. Two years after we first spoke, I decided to return to Jordan’s story.

“Around that time, the case took an extraordinary turn. A grand jury indicted the two officers, charging them with aggravated assault for allegedly shooting Jordan’s friend and firing at Jordan. That led prosecutors to drop the shooting charges against Jordan, who pleaded guilty to another offense and was released after 940 days behind bars. When he finally walked out of jail, I was there to greet him. And with his help I obtained copies of evidence which showed investigators never found proof that he shot at the officers. Now the officers — who were released on bail — are waiting for a trial.”

Read the full story here.

Steve Kornacki’s guide to the Kentucky Derby

The 151st Kentucky Derby has a tough act to follow after last year’s three-way photo finish. But tomorrow’s race looks to have some excitement of its own. NBC News and MSNBC’s numbers guru (and horse racing enthusiast) Steve Kornacki looks at the big storylines heading into the race: 

⭐ The favorite: His name is Journalism and he towers above the field in at least one notable metric: speed figures. But his success in two key Kentucky Derby prep races were against tiny fields — just four rivals in each race. How will he perform against 19 foes?

🔁 Bob Baffert is back: The best-known trainer in horse racing will make his return to Churchill Downs after a three-year ban, and he has the backing of some of the sport’s most ambitious and deep-pocketed owners. But his crop of horses is down to just one: Citizen Bull, who likes to be in front but could be compromised if a hot pace develops. Baffert’s other entry, Rodriguez, was scratched late yesterday. 

🏇 The best storyline: Lonnie Briley was never supposed to be here. The folksy 72-year-old Louisianan has been training horses since 1991 and has had success, but mostly with cheap horses running for small prizes in racing’s backwaters. Until now. His horse, Coal Battle, has long odds in this race, but even Briley’s rival trainers will probably be smiling if he can pull off this one. 

See the full Kentucky Derby guide.

Diddy on trial: Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial begins Monday. Sign up to receive a newsletter with exclusive reporting and analysis throughout the trial.

Read All About It 

• The rollout of updated Covid vaccines this fall may be in jeopardy after a rule change by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in how vaccines are tested. 
• Sean “Diddy” Combs confirmed at a hearing that he rejected a plea deal in his sex trafficking case, paving the way for his trial to begin next week.
• Singer Jill Sobule, known for the 1995 song “I Kissed a Girl,” died in a Minnesota house fire Thursday morning, her representatives said. She was 66.
• The coach of a high school lacrosse team in New York where at least 11 players are accused of hazing younger members denied the team’s staff knew anything about the alleged incident before it happened.

Staff Pick: Pope Francis’ faithful followers

I am so delighted to publish these spectacular images taken by photographer Sam Gregg of the faithful congregants who attended Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican City last weekend. Sam is a native of Naples and has spent many years documenting themes of religion and death in Italy. When the news of Pope Francis’ death was announced, I knew I had collaborate with him in some way.

Sam predominantly works in film, which presented those of us who work in a fast-paced digital news environment with a dilemma, given the time constraints of developing and printing the work. But with this story, I wanted to take the time to focus on the everyday people who traveled to see their leader be laid to rest and tell their story through their own words. The end result is a beautiful gallery of rich, colorful portraits from a special event that meant so much to so many. — Max Butterworth, deputy director of photography

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

Scalp acne can be felt but not seen on your scalp or hairline. The NBC Select team spoke to dermatologists about the best shampoo and hair care products with pimple-fighting ingredients. Plus, are you dealing with sensitive teeth? Drinking less soda and sparkling water can help, but these toothpastes for sensitive teeth will also alleviate discomfort.

Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.

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