Rubio and other senior officials may quit to pursue 2028 presidency
Speculation is mounting that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will resign after the midterm elections to launch a presidential bid, a move the White House has publicly dismissed as baseless.
By Isabella Kaur ·
US Secretary of State and White House National Security Advisor Marco Rubio is reportedly among a small group of senior administration officials who may leave their posts to prepare for the 2028 presidential election. According to a report published by The Independent on Thursday, Rubio is one of four or five key figures considering departure following the Republican losses in the recent midterm elections.
Sources familiar with the matter indicate that expectations for Rubio to resign had been building even before the midterms were held. Senior Republican officials and UK government insiders told the publication that his exit was anticipated. One Republican source stated unequivocally that Rubio will be gone after the midterms, adding that approximately four or five officials will be running for the hills.
The Republican Party's defeats in both the House and the Senate, which sources described as a disastrous result, have reportedly accelerated the planning process for prospective candidates. These individuals are seeking to distance themselves from the current administration to improve their electoral prospects. A Republican source noted that the country has turned against President Donald Trump, citing public confusion over the war with Iran and rising gas prices as major factors. The source warned that once Democrats control both chambers of Congress, impeachment attempts are likely, making it an unfavorable environment to remain in office.
Strategic advisors suggest that Rubio will need to separate his image from the Iran conflict and attribute the decision to the president. An ally of Rubio argued that leaving the administration makes complete sense because, despite being a frontrunner for the nomination, he cannot run effectively while still serving as Secretary of State. The ally claimed that Rubio is currently ahead of Vice President JD Vance but that his tie to the administration will only harm his chances if he stays.
Rubio's standing as a potential contender has been bolstered by his prominent role, even though he has reportedly been sidelined on major diplomatic issues. The president has relied heavily on special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff for negotiations regarding the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war. Nevertheless, Rubio has made a favorable impression on senior UK government officials, including foreign secretaries David Lammy, Yvette Cooper, and Ed Miliband. Cooper is said to regard Rubio as brilliantly intelligent and very good to engage with.
Vice President JD Vance, who is widely expected to seek the Republican nomination and is considered Rubio's main rival, has also begun to distance himself from the administration. Vance blamed the war with Iran for the party's midterm losses, stating that the reason for the defeat is obvious to almost everyone. He emphasized that any honest conversation about the party's future must start with an assessment of the conflict.
UK government sources echoed the expectation that Rubio would not stick around for long. One senior official noted that it seems unlikely he will remain in his current role, adding that he would make a strong presidential candidate and is expected to run.
Despite the growing speculation, Rubio has previously downplayed the idea of a presidential campaign. In September, he told reporters that he had no plans at this time to seek the White House and remained 100 percent focused on his current responsibilities. He also indicated that he would step aside if Vice President Vance decided to run.
The White House has strongly rejected the recent reports. Spokesperson Davis Ingle accused The Independent of pushing baseless and false conspiracy theories about President Trump and his administration. Ingle stated that the president has assembled a united team focused on his America First agenda and that they will continue winning for the American people, regardless of the media coverage.
The State Department similarly dismissed the report in a statement attributed to Assistant Secretary Dylan Johnson. Johnson described the reporting as completely baseless fake news from made-up anonymous sources. The statement added that the department looked forward to revisiting the report in the coming weeks to celebrate yet another humiliating own goal by the publication.
