Rubio rejects report he may leave Trump administration amid 2028 speculation

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has rejected reports that he is considering leaving President Donald Trump’s administration, saying his plan has always been to remain in office until the end of Trump’s term. Rubio made the comments to The New York Times on Thursday, according to NDTV and France 24, as speculation grew about his political future following Republican losses in the midterm elections. Bloomberg News had earlier reported that Rubio was weighing whether to depart and had discussed the possibility with White House officials, who asked him to stay.

Rubio disputed the account, telling The Times: “I don’t know where these things come from, to be honest with you.” The State Department also pushed back against reports of an imminent departure. Dylan Johnson, the department’s assistant secretary for global public affairs, described the Bloomberg report as “totally made up”. He also rejected a report by The Independent that Rubio was preparing to seek the Republican nomination for the 2028 presidential election, calling it “completely baseless fake news”.

Rubio is not only secretary of state but also serves as Trump’s national security adviser. His dual role has placed him among the administration’s most prominent officials, although the supplied reports do not indicate that any change to those positions is planned. The debate over his next move comes as Rubio is widely viewed as a potential successor to Trump in 2028.

Rubio declined to answer questions about that possibility on Thursday, saying: “I literally will not talk about 2028 anymore.” He has previously said he would support Vice-President JD Vance if Vance ran for president. Vance is also regarded as a possible 2028 candidate, adding to uncertainty over the Republican field before any campaign has formally taken shape. Rubio’s public appearance with Trump shortly before the midterm elections had drawn attention.

He briefly joined the president on stage at a campaign rally and addressed the crowd, an unusual appearance that was noted by France 24. The reports therefore leave two issues distinct: Rubio has explicitly denied plans to leave the administration, but he has not offered a commitment about a future presidential bid. His stated intention is to serve through Trump’s term, while his broader political ambitions remain undisclosed.