Marco Rubio rules out 2028 bid if JD Vance runs: ‘He’ll be our nominee’

WASHINGTON, DC: Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on the 2028 presidential race and addressed speculation surrounding his political future.

His comments came in an interview published by Vanity Fair and signaled early support for Vice President JD Vance in what could be a competitive post-Trump GOP presidential contest.

Rubio also spoke about Trump’s thoughts on future elections and responded to how his views were portrayed in the profile that included White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on December 02, 2025, in Washington, DC (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Marco Rubio’s position on a 2028 run

In an interview published on Tuesday, December 16, Rubio clearly stated that he would not run for president in 2028 if Vance decides to enter the race.

Rubio said, “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, aged 54, and Vance, aged 41, are widely viewed as the top two potential contenders to succeed President Trump, who will be term-limited by the time the 2028 election comes around.

JD Vance speaks alongside President Donald Trump as Trump holds a dinner with leaders of Central Asian countries in the East Room of the White House on November 6, 2025, in Washington, DC (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Earlier this year, Trump, floated the idea of the two running together, publicly suggesting a potential partnership without indicating which of them he would prefer to lead the GOP ticket.

“We have JD obviously, the vice president is great. Marco is great. I’m not sure if anybody would run against those two. I think if they formed a group, it would be unstoppable,” Trump made the remarks while traveling in Asia this past October.

He has indicated he could explore options to bypass the Constitution’s two-term limit, while also conceding that such a hurdle would likely be impossible to overcome.

Susie Wiles on Marco Rubio and JD Vance

Wiles told Chris Whipple of Vanity Fair that Trump does not plan to violate the 22nd Amendment, adding that 'but he sure is having fun with it.' Rubio, a former Florida senator and past Trump critic, made his comments to Whipple in connection with an extensive profile centered on Wiles.  

Wiles, who is also from Florida, is quoted in the piece describing Vance’s shift from Trump critic to strong ally as “sort of political.”

She further added that Rubio’s shift was driven by ideology and principle “Marco was not the sort of person that would violate his principles. He just won’t. And so he had to get there.”

Whipple is widely regarded as an expert on the role of White House chief of staff, and previously wrote the 2017 book 'The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency.'

On Tuesday morning, Wiles said she regretted taking part in the profile, criticizing Whipple’s article on X as 'a disingenuously framed hit piece on me and the finest President, White House staff, and Cabinet in history.'