Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signaled he will step aside in the 2028 presidential race if Vice President JD Vance chooses to run, a move that clarifies early dynamics among Republicans positioning themselves for a post-Trump era.
In an interview with author Chris Whipple published Tuesday by Vanity Fair, Rubio made his stance unmistakably clear. “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 said. The remark effectively removes Rubio from the list of potential rivals should Vance seek the presidency, consolidating early establishment support around the sitting vice president.
Rubio and Vance are widely seen as the leading heirs to President Trump’s political movement. With Trump constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, attention has increasingly shifted to who will carry the mantle forward in 2028. Both men enjoy strong relationships with Trump and represent different but complementary wings of the Republican coalition.
President Trump himself has openly mused about a future ticket featuring both Vance and Rubio, though he has stopped short of naming a preferred hierarchy. Speaking to reporters while traveling in Asia last October, Trump praised both men effusively. “We have JD obviously, the vice president is great. Marco’s great. I’m not sure if anybody would run against those two,” Trump said. “I think if they formed a group, it would be unstoppable.”
While Trump has occasionally joked about circumventing the Constitution’s two-term limit, he has also acknowledged that the 22nd Amendment remains a firm barrier. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles addressed the speculation in Whipple’s profile, saying Trump has no intention of violating the amendment, “but he sure is having fun with it.”
Rubio’s comments came within a broader profile of Wiles, a fellow Florida Republican and one of Trump’s closest advisers. The former Florida senator, who once clashed bitterly with Trump during the 2016 primary, has since become a trusted ally and a central figure in the administration’s foreign policy agenda as secretary of state.
By publicly pledging support for Vance, Rubio appears to be emphasizing unity and continuity over personal ambition. The gesture also underscores Vance’s growing stature within the party, particularly among Trump-aligned voters and conservative populists.
As 2028 remains years away, the Republican field is far from settled. But Rubio’s statement sends an early and powerful signal: if JD Vance enters the race, he is likely to do so with much of the party already firmly in his corner.