Rubio weighs resigning as US Secretary of State to run for 2028 nomination

Reports of a possible exit

The Independent reports that Marco Rubio is weighing whether to leave his post as US secretary of state in order to prepare a bid for the Republican presidential nomination in the 2028 election. The report relies on sources in the Republican Party and in the British government. Before the midterm elections, party officials and senior British officials had told the Independent that Rubio might step down from the Trump administration, and those assessments grew stronger after Republicans lost control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. According to the same sources, Rubio is one of as many as five current cabinet members considering whether to quit after the party's heavy defeat.

An ally of Rubio told the Independent that a departure would be a fully logical step. The same ally described Rubio as the current favourite for the nomination, clearly ahead of Vice President JD Vance, and said he cannot seek the presidency while he remains secretary of state. According to the ally, his continued link to the administration would damage his chances in any case. A person close to Rubio also said he needs to distance himself from the war in Iran and place responsibility for it on Trump.

Political backdrop

Republican figures cited in the reporting argue that Rubio's continued presence in government could weigh on his future candidacy, and they stress that he must separate himself from foreign policy decisions such as the military involvement in Iran. Vance has publicly stated that the war in Iran was the decisive factor in the election result. Vance is widely seen as Rubio's main rival in the contest to succeed Trump as the party's leader. The reporting places the speculation in the aftermath of the midterm defeat, which left Republicans without control of either chamber of Congress.

Rubio's current roles

Rubio holds two posts at once, serving as secretary of state and national security adviser. During his tenure he also took on additional roles at the US Agency for International Development (USAID). His portfolio has included Latin America, among them operations in the Caribbean and contacts with Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez. Diplomacy on the Middle East and the war in Ukraine, by contrast, has been handed to special envoys from the White House.

Successor speculation and denial

The Washington Sun, cited by Naftemporiki, reports that Rubio may resign to prepare his 2028 presidential campaign and that the idea is circulating among State Department officials and Republican political circles. The paper notes that Rubio has not publicly stated any intention to leave his post. It names Sergio Gor, the US ambassador to India and special envoy for South and Central Asia, as a possible successor. The State Department denied the report. Its head of public relations, Dylan Johnson, called the reports fabricated rumours from anonymous sources and said Rubio and Gor share an excellent working relationship and a personal friendship. A White House official called the article false. Gor himself denied any interest in another role and said he had not discussed one with anyone.

Senate and confirmation hurdles

Rubio and Gor have worked closely in recent months. Rubio visited India twice this year, and the two appeared together at the G20 summit in Atlanta. Rubio has previously described Gor's direct access to the president as a considerable advantage for the ministry and for the host country. Any successor to the top post in American diplomacy would require Senate confirmation, and the Senate is now controlled by the Democrats, who had earlier voted against Gor's appointment as ambassador to India.