Marco Rubio Says He Has No Current Plans to Run for President in 2028

NEW YORK (VINnews) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he currently has no plans to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2028, potentially clearing the way for Vice President JD Vance to emerge as the party’s leading contender.

Rubio made the comments in an interview on Wednesday with Colombian broadcaster RCN, according to NBC News. Asked about his political ambitions, Rubio said he did not know what the future would bring but was not currently planning to run for president or any other office. “I am dedicating myself 100% to my work,” Rubio said, according to NBC.

A source cited by the network said Rubio has also privately indicated that he does not intend to run in 2028, although he has not completely ruled out a presidential campaign in the future.

Rubio is currently serving as secretary of state and is also temporarily carrying out the duties of national security adviser, giving him a prominent role in the Trump administration’s foreign-policy and national-security decisions. His decision not to pursue the presidency could strengthen Vance’s position within the Republican Party. A close associate of the vice president has said Vance is expected to consider a 2028 campaign after the 2026 midterm elections. No formal decision or announcement has been made.

Neither Rubio nor Vance has officially declared a candidacy. President Donald Trump, however, has repeatedly identified both men as possible successors who could carry forward his political movement. Trump has at times suggested that the two could form a “dream ticket,” with one running for president and the other as his vice-presidential partner, although he has stressed that such comments do not amount to an endorsement.

In August 2025, Trump described Vance as a potential frontrunner for the 2028 Republican nomination and suggested Rubio could be a possible running mate.

Rubio, 55, has already made one unsuccessful bid for the presidency. He ran for the Republican nomination in 2016, but ended his campaign after losing the Florida primary to Trump. Rubio subsequently endorsed Trump and became one of the Republican Party’s prominent foreign-policy voices.

He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010 and served in Congress until becoming secretary of state in January 2025.

Vance, 41, entered national politics more recently. A former U.S. senator from Ohio, he became Trump’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election and took office as vice president in January 2025.

The Republican field for 2028 remains highly unsettled, with Trump constitutionally barred from seeking a third term. While several potential candidates are being discussed, the party’s future direction is expected to depend heavily on the results of the 2026 midterm elections and Trump’s standing during the remainder of his presidency.