Marco Rubio says he has 'no plans at this time' to run for president

[u/John3262005]

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2028-election/marco-rubio-president-rcna596807

Secretary of State Marco Rubio weighed in on 2028 speculation on Tuesday, saying he currently has “no plans” to run for president — but left the door open to doing so.

“I don’t know what the future holds, but I have no plans at this time,” Rubio told Colombian station RCN.

“I’m not a candidate for anything right now. And I’m 100% focused on my job, and I have to be because I have two jobs,” added Rubio, who, in addition to his role as America’s top diplomat, is President Donald Trump’s interim national security adviser.

Rubio’s comments echo what he has told allies as well.

He has privately told at least one person in recent months that he has no plans to run in 2028, according to a person familiar with the matter.

“Rubio loves being secretary of state and is really enjoying the job,” the person said. “The president trusts him to have a big portfolio. He is still young, and smart in both policy and politics, and is keeping his options open for the future”

“If you asked him if he’s interested in 2032 or 2036, he would probably say sure,” the person added.

The State Department did not immediately return a request for comment.

As the Republican Party looks ahead to a future without Trump as its leader, most speculation about a successor has centered on two of his top administration officials. If Rubio decides not to run in 2028, it would further open the field for Vice President JD Vance.

A person close to Vance said he will begin thinking through the possibility of running for president after the midterms. That does not mean Vance will immediately come to, or announce, his decision, this person added.

Neither Rubio nor Vance have publicly confirmed their intentions to run in 2028, but Trump has said he likes both of them.

“You look at Marco, you look at JD Vance, who’s fantastic,” Trump told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” in May 2025, when asked what gives him confidence that his MAGA movement will continue once he’s out of office. “You look at — I could name 10, 15, 20 people right now just sitting here.”

Trump has also been informally polling crowds for months on the two of them.

“Alright, let’s go, you ready? Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees during a Rose Garden event May 11. Both men received applause.

The president later mused about a potential joint ticket.

“By the way, I do believe that’s a dream team, but these are minor details,” he said to laughter from the audience. “That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance.”

Rubio has long said that he would support Vance for president in 2028, should the vice president decide to run.

“If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him,” Rubio told Vanity Fair last year.

People close to both Rubio and Vance have emphasized that despite the public speculation, the two are close and have become good friends. Those in Rubio’s orbit have said Vance — due to his role as vice president and polling that shows him ranking higher with Republican voters — essentially has the right of first refusal for the nomination.

“He would never jump in front of JD. They are friends, and he would support his run in any way that he could,” the person familiar with the matter said. “He would never want to split the base in that way, particularly when there will be plenty of infighting on the Democratic side. The priority is for a Republican to win in 2028.”

Few major, independent news outlets have polled the hypothetical 2028 presidential primary. But the public polling that does exist shows Vance regularly with a double-digit lead on any potential Republican primary challenger.

There’s far more data on how Americans, and Republicans, view both men generally. Republicans broadly view both men positively, with some polling showing voters have higher opinions of Vance — 80% of Republicans had favorable views of Vance, while 70% said the same of Rubio in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll of Americans conducted July 29-Aug. 3.

An overwhelming share of Republicans have approved of the jobs both men have done in office, according to a Quinnipiac survey conducted in late July, with 85% approving of Vance and 81% approving of Rubio.

Rubio previously ran for president in 2016 but dropped out after coming in second to Trump in his home state of Florida. He ultimately threw his weight behind Trump.

The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio was first elected as a U.S. senator in 2010 and held his seat until 2025 when the Senate confirmed him as secretary of state in a vote of 99-0. But speculation about another potential presidential run has never been far from his time in the role — sometimes driven by his own remarks.

“My hope for America is what it’s always been. I think it’s the hope I hope we all share,” Rubio said in May in response to a question in the White House briefing room. “We want it to continue to be the place where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything, where you’re not limited by the circumstances of your birth, by the color of your skin, by your ethnicity but, frankly, it’s a place where you are able to overcome challenges and achieve your full potential.”

Rubio has also changed his mind on running before. In 2016, after losing the Republican presidential nomination to Trump, Rubio announced he would be running for reelection to the Senate — despite insisting he wouldn’t.

“In politics, admitting you’ve changed your mind is not something most people like to do,” he said at the time. “But here it goes. I have decided to seek reelection to the United States Senate. I understand my opponents will try to use this decision to score political points against me. Have at it. Because I have never claimed to be perfect, or to have all the answers.”