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The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is beginning to emerge as one of the most prominent figures within the Republican Party as the 2028 presidential elections approach, in a race that currently also includes Vice President JD Vance.
Rubio, a senator from Florida for over a decade and the current head of U.S. diplomacy, is one of the most influential Cuban-American politicians in Washington.
Its growing prominence within the administration of Donald Trump also reflects the political weight that the Cuban American community has gained in the current electoral landscape of the United States.
According to a report by NBC News, Trump himself has been privately asking allies, donors, and close figures in his political circle whom they would prefer as the Republican candidate in 2028.
At a recent meeting held at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, the president posed the question to a group of about 25 Republican donors.
According to those present at the meeting, the reaction was mostly favorable towards Rubio. "It was almost unanimous for Marco," said one of the attendees quoted in the report.
Although other sources suggest that the support was more divided between Rubio and Vance, the episode reflects that Trump is already considering his eventual political succession and that his opinion could be decisive in the Republican primaries.
The setting in which the conversation took place is also significant. Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach has become one of the most influential political centers of Trumpism and a regular meeting place for donors, entrepreneurs, and political figures, including many Cuban Americans from Florida.
Florida, where Rubio resides, is also one of the key electoral strongholds of the Republican Party. In recent election cycles, the Cuban-American vote has played an important role in Republican victories in the state, including Trump's win in the presidential elections.
Trump himself has recognized on several occasions the political weight of the Cuban community in Florida and its influence within the current Republican movement.
Rubio's increasing prominence is also linked to his central role in the government's foreign policy.
In recent months, the U.S. administration has focused much of its attention on various international conflicts, including the crisis with Iran, which involved coordinated attacks with Israel against Iranian targets.
Rubio has been directly involved in those decisions and in the subsequent diplomatic management, which has raised his profile within the administration. Trump even publicly praised him at a recent event at the White House, where he claimed that he could become “the best Secretary of State in the history of the country.”
Despite leading one of the most demanding portfolios in the federal government, the Cuban-American has managed to increase his influence within the administration without creating significant internal political conflicts. This balance—gaining power without accumulating enemies—has helped solidify his profile as one of the most effective figures in the current administration's foreign policy.
That prominence contrasts with the more discreet position of Vice President Vance during the crisis. Although he has publicly defended the government's decisions, his presence in official communications regarding the war has been less than that of Rubio.
The differences between the two also reflect distinct political styles within Trumpism. Vance, a younger politician who gained notoriety as a combative advocate of the MAGA agenda, is known for his confrontational rhetoric towards the media and his critiques of traditional political elites.
Rubio, for his part, projects a more diplomatic and pragmatic image. His political career includes years in the Senate and now the stewardship of U.S. foreign policy, which has enabled him to strengthen relationships with international allies and influential figures within the Republican Party, and even within the Democratic Party, where many appreciate his understanding of the global challenges facing the country.
For many Cuban Americans—especially in Florida—Rubio also represents a political figure with direct roots in the exiled community.
The son of Cuban immigrants who arrived in the United States before the 1959 revolution, his political rise has been closely followed for years by the conservative Hispanic electorate in South Florida.
Some analysts believe that this profile could be attractive to a broader electorate, especially if Republicans seek to expand their base beyond the most loyal MAGA voters.
However, the road to 2028 remains uncertain. Internal party polls continue to show high popularity for Vance among Republican voters, partly due to his ideological closeness to Trump and his role as vice president.
Furthermore, Trump himself has refrained from identifying a clear successor. In several public statements, he has praised both Rubio and Vance, and on some occasions, he has even suggested that both could be part of a future political "team."
Meanwhile, the president seems to enjoy his role as a decisive figure within the party. Close advisors indicate that Trump often asks allies and collaborators for their opinions on various political and strategic issues, including potential candidacies.
In that context, the competition between Rubio and Vance could become one of the pivotal points of the upcoming Republican primary.
For Marco Rubio, the increasing prominence within the government and his closeness to Trump’s political circle—especially in Florida—could establish him as one of the key Republican contenders for 2028.
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