Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he is staying put as speculation swirls about his 2028 ambitions, which he declined to address.
asserted
he → say → which
The top US diplomat and national security adviser dismissed reports by multiple outlets Thursday indicating he is eyeing an exit from the Trump administration – to potentially prepare to launch a presidential bid – in the wake of the brutal midterm elections for the GOP.
asserted
he → dismiss → GOP
Rubio told the New York Times that working for President Trump for the duration of his second term has “always been my plan.”
asserted
working → tell → term
“I don’t know where these things come from, to be honest with you,” he said of the reports.
asserted
he → know → reports
“I love the work I’m doing,” Rubio added.
asserted
Rubio → love → work
“And plus I always laugh when they say he’s going to leave his job.
asserted
he → laugh → job
I go, ‘Which one?’”
asserted
I → go → ?
White House and State Department officials were equally adamant that Rubio isn’t leaving his post.
asserted
Rubio → leave → post
Bloomberg News reported that Rubio has discussed the possibility of stepping down with White House officials and that he and his advisers are going over future options.
asserted
he → report → options
“This fake news is nothing more than a fabricated hoax being peddled by anonymous sources with no factual information,” White House spokesperson Beni Rae Harmony said in a statement.
asserted
Harmony → fabricate → statement
Meanwhile, GOP sources and UK government figures told The Independent they view Rubio as the leading candidate to succeed President Trump and expect the secretary of state to resign in an effort to “distance himself from the Iran war.”
asserted
secretary → tell → war
Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson called the report “completely baseless fake news from made-up anonymous ‘sources.'”
“We look forward to revisiting this ‘report’ in the coming weeks to celebrate yet another humiliating own goal by The Independent,” Johnson added.
asserted
Johnson → call → Independent
Rubio, who was defeated by Trump in the 2016 presidential primary, is indeed viewed as a serious future GOP presidential contender but has unfinished business at the State Department and isn’t expected to depart anytime soon, multiple sources told The Post.
asserted
sources → defeat → Post
The former senator’s plan from day one of the Trump administration was to stay on board all four years, according to a senior administration official.
uncertain
plan → stay → official
Rubio has even said he won’t take a vacation, the official noted, only halfway joking.
asserted
official → say → vacation
Inside the corridors of the West Wing, Rubio remains a power player.
asserted
Rubio → remain → Wing
He has an office next to Vice President JD Vance and a powerful ally in chief of staff Susie Wiles, whom he’s known for years as they both rose in Florida Republican politics.
asserted
they → have → politics
If it ever came down to a choice between Vance and Rubio, Wiles would pick Rubio, say those that know them.
asserted
that → come → them
Wearing the double hat of secretary of state and national security adviser, Rubio is in the room for every national security conversation, alongside Wiles and Vance.
asserted
Rubio → wear → Wiles
The trio have a good working relationship and are often in lockstep.
asserted
trio → have → lockstep
He spends most of his work time in the West Wing, knowing in this White House, proximity to Trump is the proximity to power.
asserted
proximity → spend → power
Another factor that may keep Rubio from leaving the administration is that his foreign policy goals have yet to be accomplished: the main one being Cuba.
uncertain
one → keep → administration
The son of Cuban immigrants, his longtime goal has been to see the island rid itself of its communist regime, which Trump has hinted he could do.
uncertain
he → see → which
Rubio wouldn’t be expected to depart until his family’s homeland is free.
asserted
homeland → expect → ?
“The midterms blew up Vance’s [2028 prospects] and Rubio’s stock is soaring,” Dan Eberhart, a GOP donor, said.
asserted
Eberhart → blow → prospects
“I don’t think he can go home to Miami until he’s toppled the regime in Cuba.”
asserted
he → think → Cuba
Eberhart and other sources noted Vance, who is also the Republican National Committee’s finance chair, can raise money from 2028 on the job, while Rubio cannot, due to the constraints on political activities a secretary of state can engage in.
asserted
secretary → note → state
“I guarantee you, the moment Marco would say, ‘I’m going to resign and I want to run,’ he’ll raise so much money it would make your head spin,” another Florida GOP source said.
asserted
source → guarantee → money
The source noted Rubio has been clear he’ll stand back if Vance is in for 2028, but said the disastrous midterms had put Vance in a “pickle — to put it lightly” and intensified calls for Rubio to jump in the fray.
asserted
Rubio → note → fray
“My guess is that he’ll be president one day, whether it’s before JD or after,” a Republican operative close to the White House said.
asserted
operative → ’ → House
However, a top Republican strategist indicated that waiting for 2032 if Vance runs and loses in 2028 “has always been his plan.”
asserted
Vance → indicate → 2028
“He was already not gonna run, but after Tuesday night there is zero chance he’s gonna run — like less than zero,” the source said.
asserted
source → go → zero
In his interview with the New York Times, Rubio declined to answer questions about his possible 2028 plans.
asserted
Rubio → decline → plans
“I literally will not talk about 2028 anymore,” he said.
asserted
he → talk → 2028
“I just won’t do it.”
asserted
I → do → it
Rubio is slated to deliver his first major speech post-midterms next Friday at the Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention in Washington, DC.
asserted
Rubio → slat → Washington
The Aporia
