Rubio to resign as Secretary of State, eyes 2028 run

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to resign from his position in the coming period, positioning himself to compete for the Republican Party leadership and launch a 2028 presidential campaign. The British newspaper The Independent reported the development Thursday.

According to the report, senior Republican Party figures estimate that Rubio is one of five cabinet members expected to "flee" following the party's severe losses in the midterm elections, in which Republicans lost their majority in both houses of Congress and control of states previously considered Republican strongholds, including Texas and Kansas. The sources claim "Rubio wants to distance himself from the war with Iran, in order to place responsibility for it on President Donald Trump."

A source close to Rubio said leaving the administration is the most logical step for him at this stage. "Rubio is the leading candidate to represent the Republican Party in the presidential election. He is certainly above JD Vance," the source stated. "But he cannot run for president and conduct a campaign while still serving as Secretary of State. His connection to the Trump administration will only damage his chances."

Two months ago, it was reported that Rubio was not planning to run in the 2028 presidential election, with sources saying he ruled out competing in the Republican primaries during private conversations with associates in recent months. However, it was noted that Rubio might run for president in the future, with one source involved in the details saying "he is leaving the door open to the possibility of running for president later. If you asked him whether he is interested in running in 2032 or 2036, he would probably say yes."