WATCH: Marco Rubio Shares Thoughts On A Potential White House Bid

Secretary of State Marco Rubio dropped a hint at his thoughts on launching a presidential bid after President Donald Trump’s current term comes to an end in 2028.

Rubio, who previously launched a presidential bid in 2016, has long been viewed as a top Republican contender in 2028. Polling data has near unanimously had him in second place since the second Trump term began, trailing only Vice President J.D. Vance.

While speaking with Fox News’ Lara Trump, Rubio was asked about his potential presidential ambitions in the near future. “You are talked about quite frequently as a possible contender in 2028. Do you have your sights set outside of the State Department?” Trump asked.

“Well I think J.D. Vance would be a great nominee. And if, you know, if he decides he wants to do that. And so, you know, I think he’s doing a great job as vice president. He’s a close friend and I hope he intends to do it,” Rubio answered. 

“ know it’s kind of early, you know, but being in the role that I’m in here at the Secretary of State, I really don’t play in politics,” he added. “There’s actually rules against me being involved in domestic politics. And I want to do this job as, honestly, you never know what the future holds. You never rule things out or anything. And you just don’t know things change very quickly. But that said, I believe that if I am able to be here through the duration of this presidency, and we get things done at the pace that we’ve been doing the last six months, I’ll be able to look back at my time in public service and say I made a difference, I had an impact, and I served my country in a very positive way. And I would be satisfied with that as the apex of my career.”

A recent 2028 presidential election poll from Emerson College spelled excellent news for the vice president in what was the latest validation of his strength as a candidate. The survey found that Vance held a single-digit lead over three potential candidates: former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)

Of those three, Buttigieg produced the tightest margin, with 44 percent backing Vance and 43 percent supporting Buttigieg. Along with former Vice President Kamala Harris, Buttigieg has polled close to the top in the majority of early 2028 polls, though data suggests that he could face significant challenges in a Democratic Party primary.

Newsom, who has been conducting national interviews and traveling to early primary states in recent weeks, received 41 percent of the vote to Vance’s 44 percent. Ocasio-Cortez trailed by an identical margin.