Former Marco Rubio chief of staff backs major Dem priority: 'No brainer'
Monday, February 9, 2026
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Cesar Conda, former chief of staff for Senator Marco Rubio, co-wrote an op-ed with General Thomas Trask, arguing that Puerto Rico's statehood is crucial for US national security, particularly in the Caribbean region, where the island has been instrumental in safeguarding America's borders.
With a population of 3.2 million, Puerto Rico has been a US territory since 1898, and its residents have been American citizens since 1917, yet they lack full representation in Congress, prompting four non-binding referendums since 2012, all in favor of statehood.
Conda and Trask contend that granting Puerto Rico statehood would not only enhance US security interests but also counter a "vocal minority" of Puerto Ricans seeking independence, allowing the island to be "on equal footing" with states like California and North Carolina, which serve as staging grounds for major military deployments.
