A group of Republican donors who support Secretary of State Marco Rubio have quietly begun talking about ways to boost his political future ahead of the 2028 presidential election, multiple sources told ABC News.
They described an emerging behind-the-scenes attempt to elevate him within the Republican Party and launch a potential "draft Rubio" effort following the midterms.
The discussions, according to those sources, are being driven by donors and surrogates who back Rubio, not the secretary of state himself, reflecting what some in Trump-aligned circles see as growing enthusiasm for Rubio's profile inside the administration.
However, in recent presidential elections, donor backing has not always directly translated to political success.
"Donors don't pick the nominee — the base picks," a senior Republican operative told ABC News. "Donors tried to abandon President Trump and tried to pick [Florida Gov. Ron] DeSantis, and we all saw how that went."
Rubio's profile has risen particularly since the war against Iran, with the secretary emerging as a leading face communicating the operation alongside War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
When President Donald Trump gave his top military commanders the green light to launch a sweeping attack on Iran, Rubio was not in Washington — he was already on his way to a makeshift Situation Room at Mar-a-Lago, where he monitored the first hours of Operation Epic Fury at the president's side.
Vice President JD Vance, who a year ago appeared to be the MAGA heir apparent for 2028, was in the Situation Room monitoring the strikes. They were dialed into a conference call line with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
A spokesperson for Vance told ABC News that the vice president "remained in Washington to maintain operational secrecy and in keeping with the administration's security protocol to limit the president and vice president co-locating away from the White House."
Through the early days of the conflict, Rubio has continued to play a highly visible supporting role, remaining by Trump's side at Mar-a-Lago during those early days — a position that has fueled speculation that his stock was on the rise.
But Rubio's elevated profile amid the Iran strikes could also backfire, as early polling suggests the war is unpopular with most Americans: just 29% back the strikes, while 43% disapprove and 26% remain unsure, according to an Ipsos poll.
The same survey also shows that 64% of Americans say Trump has not clearly explained the war's objective.
Some administration advisers have been frustrated with Vance's close ties to critics of the Iran war, including commentator Tucker Carlson, sources said, and have grown closer to Rubio, viewing him as a leading figure across multiple fronts.
However, while some GOP donors aligned with Rubio have begun quietly discussing a potential 2028 bid, the secretary of state would face formidable obstacles against the vice president, who has spent the past several years working to consolidate support within Trump's Republican Party.
Vance has secured the backing of some of the most influential figures in the Republican Party, including the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., and Carlson.
Vance also has deep ties to major GOP donors from the tech world, including billionaires Peter Thiel and Elon Musk. The vice president has also been endorsed by the late Charlie Kirk's organization, Turning Point USA.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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