Secretary of State Marco Rubio wants you to know two things: he's not going anywhere, and the president deserves a lot of credit for the Iran war decisions that may be making your gas tank more expensive.
In an interview at his White House office with the New York Times on Thursday, Rubio defended Trump's wartime calls, acknowledging that rising gasoline prices could create political headaches while arguing the president earned a "tremendous amount of credit" for taking necessary action.
His broader point was about what leadership actually costs. Sometimes officials have to make tough calls because they believe those choices serve the country's long-term interests, even when the short-term politics look ugly.
"Ultimately, that is the price of leadership — is the willingness to do things that may not be politically popular or expedient but are necessary for your country and its long-term future," he said.
Exit Talk Gets a Shrug
Rubio, who also serves as Trump's national security adviser, rejected reports that he was considering departing. He said remaining with Trump through the administration's term has "always been my plan."
As for whether he might run for president in 2028? He's not going there. "I literally will not talk about 2028 anymore," Rubio said.
The speculation didn't come from nowhere. Rubio's comments followed reports that he was on "resignation watch" after the Republican Party's midterm losses. The Independent reported he could seek distance from Trump while preparing for a potential 2028 campaign, with Vice President JD Vance emerging as his main rival. Senior U.S. and U.K. officials had suggested Rubio planned to leave the Trump administration even before Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress in the midterms.
Vance Charts a Different Course
Meanwhile, Vance blamed the Iran conflict and rising living costs for the GOP's poor midterm performance. In a post-midterm address, Vance called for an "honest conversation" and a reset of Republican priorities ahead of 2028.
He laid out four priorities to help Republicans regain voter support: ending the war, tackling inflation and living costs, putting America first, and changing U.S. policy toward Israel.
And the big decision still sits with Trump. He's weighing a return to major military strikes against Iran, continued economic pressure on Tehran, or a negotiated settlement following the Republican Party's sweeping midterm losses. Trump said he would soon decide whether to escalate military operations to dismantle Iran's nuclear program and prevent its reconstruction.
So Rubio says he's staying, Vance is talking reset, and the president is deciding what comes next. The price of leadership, as Rubio puts it, is still being calculated.
