Rubio denies exit plans as Trump defends Hegseth after midterm losses

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has again denied reports that he is planning to leave the Trump administration, saying it had "always been my plan" to serve until the end of President Donald Trump's term. He made the comments as speculation continued over his political future after Republican losses in the midterm elections. Rubio also serves as national security adviser, making him one of the most prominent figures in the administration.

The denials came after Bloomberg News reported that Rubio was weighing whether to step down and had spoken with White House officials about leaving. The State Department rejected that account, with its public affairs chief calling the report "totally made up". The same official also dismissed a separate report that Rubio was preparing a bid for the Republican nomination in 2028 as "completely baseless fake news".

Rubio himself said he did not know where the rumours were coming from and added that he would not talk about 2028 anymore. The episode comes at a sensitive moment for the administration because the midterm losses have sharpened attention on senior personnel and possible succession politics. Rubio is widely seen as a potential contender in the next presidential cycle, and his recent appearance alongside Trump on the campaign trail added to the scrutiny around his role.

He has previously said he would support Vice President JD Vance if Vance chose to run for president, which has also fed discussion about the party's future leadership. At the same time, Trump declined to answer questions about whether he might fire Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth after the Republican setbacks. Hegseth issued a video message defending the Iran war as "courageous and historic" and vowing to fight efforts in Congress to impeach him.

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The remarks came as criticism of him intensified in Washington and as the administration faced questions about how it would respond to the election results. The developments underline how quickly post-election speculation can spread around senior officials in a White House facing political pressure. They also show how personnel questions are now tied to broader debates about the Republican Party's direction after the midterms.

For Rubio, the immediate message is that he intends to stay in post, even as he refuses to discuss his longer-term ambitions. What remains unclear is whether the reports about Rubio reflected any genuine internal discussion or were simply inaccurate. It is also not clear whether Trump will face further pressure over Hegseth's future in the days ahead.

The next developments to watch are any further official statements from the White House or State Department, and whether the personnel speculation eases or deepens as the post-midterm fallout continues.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has denied reports that he is planning to leave the Trump administration, saying it had "always been my plan" to serve through the end of President Donald Trump's term. He made the comments on Thursday as speculation intensified over his political future and possible ambitions for the 2028 presidential race. Rubio also serves as national security adviser, placing him among the most prominent figures in the administration.

According to the reporting, Rubio told The New York Times that he did not know where the exit rumours were coming from. He declined to discuss his future in detail and said he would not talk about 2028 anymore. The remarks came after Bloomberg News reported that he was weighing whether to step down and had spoken with White House officials about leaving, a claim the State Department rejected.

The department's public affairs chief described the Bloomberg report as "totally made up", while also dismissing a separate report that Rubio was preparing a bid for the Republican nomination in 2028 as "completely baseless fake news". The denials underline how closely watched Rubio's position has become after Republican losses in the midterm elections. His appearance alongside Trump on the campaign trail just days before the vote added to the attention around his role.

The episode matters because Rubio is widely viewed as a possible successor to Trump in the next presidential cycle. That makes any suggestion of a departure from the administration politically significant, even if no resignation has been announced. It also highlights the sensitivity around succession politics inside the Republican Party, where senior figures are already being assessed for their standing ahead of 2028.

Rubio has previously said he would support Vice President JD Vance if Vance chose to run for president, adding another layer to the discussion over the party's future leadership. The latest comments suggest Rubio is trying to shut down speculation rather than fuel it. At the same time, his refusal to discuss 2028 leaves open questions about how he intends to navigate the period after Trump's term ends.

What remains unclear is whether the reports of internal discussions about his future were based on any real movement inside the administration or were simply inaccurate. For now, Rubio is publicly signalling that he intends to stay in post until the end of Trump's term. The next point to watch is whether further reporting or official statements add clarity to the succession debate around the Republican Party's 2028 field.

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