According to The Independent, citing politically informed sources, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reportedly considering stepping down from the Trump administration ahead of the 2028 presidential election to prepare for his own 2028 presidential bid. Sources indicated that following a potential Republican defeat in the midterm elections, Rubio may seek to distance himself from a U.S.-Iran conflict, which could lay the groundwork for an intra-party nomination battle between him and Vice President JD Vance. However, other sources noted that Rubio has not yet shown any intention to resign. Both the White House and the U.S. Department of State have strongly denied the report, calling it baseless.