State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce received applause from reporters on Tuesday after delivering remarks to mark her final press briefing following her appointment to a new position by President Donald Trump.

“We’ve been up here for almost an hour now, and I have a few things to say which involve all of you to some degree,” said Bruce at the end of her briefing, before addressing the assembled media.

“So you have no doubt seen President Trump’s Truth Social post announcing his intention to nominate me as his deputy ambassador at the United Nations. His intention was a surprise, as was his request last Christmas asking me to become the spokesperson at the State Department,” Bruce said.

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“I was astounded then and remain deeply honored and grateful for the president’s trust in me. This is especially moving as it allows me to continue serving the State Department – to which I am now quite attached, I think that’s maybe obvious to some of you – and our great country on the global stage of the United Nations,” she said.

“During my first press briefing, I promised you and the American people that my commitment would always be to speak directly and clearly about President Trump’s America First policy agenda and its implementation by Secretary of State Marco Rubio,” Bruce continued. “With the help of the extraordinary men and women who serve the State Department, my team and I worked every day with that promise in mind and it is a commitment that will continue to inform all of my work.

“As this remarkable chapter in my life continues, I want to take a moment to thank all of you in the bull pen and also in this room in general for your camaraderie, your banter, your professionalism, and yes, even the occasional haranguing,” she teased. “You’ve kept me sharp, grounded, and on more than a few occasions laughing. The relationship between the spokesperson and the press is a unique one and I’m grateful that I know all of you.”

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Bruce thanked Rubio and her State Department team before closing with, “I look forward to continuing to serve with you, as well as support you from New York and beyond. Thank you, everyone. That’s it for today.”

Reporters in the room applauded her remarks as the briefing concluded.

Trump unexpectedly nominated Bruce last week to serve as deputy ambassador to the United Nations, just over six months after she assumed the role of State Department spokesperson.

“I am pleased to announce that I am nominating Tammy Bruce, a Great Patriot, Television Personality, and Bestselling Author, as our next Deputy Representative of the United States to the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador,” announced Trump.

“Since the beginning of my Second Term, Tammy has been serving with distinction as Spokesperson of the State Department, where she did a fantastic job. Tammy Bruce will represent our Country brilliantly at the United Nations. Congratulations Tammy!” Trump’s post added.

Late last month, Rubio sharply criticized Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro as the country held municipal elections to fill hundreds of mayoral posts and thousands of local council seats.

The Trump administration has been ramping up pressure on Maduro in recent days, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accusing him of leading an organization that supports terrorism against the United States.

“One year since dictator Nicolás Maduro defied the will of the Venezuelan people by baselessly declaring himself the winner, the United States remains firm in its unwavering support to Venezuela’s restoration of democratic order and justice,” Rubio said in a statement.

“Maduro is not the President of Venezuela and his regime is not the legitimate government,” he added.