Secretaries’ Dinner: Rubio Warns Against Approach to Mick Jagger

Secretary of State Marco Rubio recounted an unusual encounter during a 2024 visit to London, where he attempted to dissuade a fellow Trump administration official from approaching Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. The incident occurred when Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and White House director Sergio Gor were dining at a London restaurant.

Gor, who was then serving as the White House director of presidential personnel, expressed desire to meet Jagger, according to Rubio. “Sergio’s like, ‘I’m going to go up to him. I’m going to get his picture,'” Rubio said. He urged Gor not to approach Jagger, citing concerns over Jagger’s past comments about President Donald Trump. “He’s not like an enormous fan of the president,” Rubio noted.

Despite Rubio’s warning, Gor proceeded to engage Jagger, introducing him as “Marco Rubio would love to meet you. He’s sitting right over there.” To Rubio’s surprise, the interaction went smoothly. “He couldn’t have been nicer,” he said of Jagger.

Gor, now confirmed as U.S. ambassador to India, has long worked in Republican politics, including stints at the Republican National Committee and in Congress. He later led a publishing and political organization linked to the Trump family before joining the administration. Jagger, however, has been openly critical of Trump’s presidency.

After Trump used the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” at 2016 campaign rallies, the band issued a statement in a since-deleted tweet cited by Billboard, “The Rolling Stones do not endorse Donald Trump.” In 2019, Jagger also called out Trump’s environmental policies while promoting a film at the Venice Film Festival. “We’re in a very difficult situation at the moment,” he said, according to Variety. “Especially in the U.S. where all the environmental controls that were put in place… are being rolled back by the current administration.”

Rubio highlighted Gor’s decision to walk up to Jagger as a reflection of the confidence needed for diplomacy. The incident underscores the complex interactions between political figures and public personalities, offering a unique glimpse into the dynamics of such encounters.