Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State and son of Cuban immigrants who fled the island in the 1950s, has emerged as the most influential figure within Donald Trump's circle and is the favorite among major Republican donors to contend for the presidency in 2028, according to an extensive profile published by Bloomberg Businessweek that graces the cover of its September issue.
The portrait of the Cuban-American diplomat reveals a politician who has taken an unlikely path: from a rival who called Trump a "fraud" and "the most vulgar person ever to run for president" to becoming his most loyal lieutenant and the official who spends the most hours each week inside the White House.
Rubio is the first official since Henry Kissinger, under the presidency of Richard Nixon half a century ago, to hold the positions of Secretary of State and National Security Advisor simultaneously.
That dual role grants him an office in the west wing of the White House and walk-in access to the Oval Office, an advantage that, according to administration advisers, is crucial for maintaining influence over a president as unpredictable as Trump.
The Cuban-American angle is inseparable from his journey.
Raised in Miami's exile community during the 1970s and 1980s, Rubio learned Spanish before English and, as a child, dreamed of leading an army to overthrow the communist regime. In his law school admission essay, he wrote that he would use his education to help build a new legal and political system for a free Cuba.
Today, he executes that vision from power. He was a key player in the planning of the military operation in January 2026 that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, and he was alongside Trump at Mar-a-Lago watching the operation in real time.
Since then, he has personally led the maximum pressure campaign against the Cuban regime. According to a source cited by Bloomberg, Rubio's strategy towards Havana can be summed up in one phrase: «Let's squeeze the regime until it dies».
After Maduro's capture, Trump blocked shipments of Venezuelan oil to Cuba and pressured Mexico—through tariff threats—to stop its own supplies to the island. The result has been a deepening of the Cuban energy crisis, with recurrent blackouts that the UN has warned could lead to a humanitarian emergency.
"If I lived in Havana and were part of the government, I would be concerned, at least a little", said Rubio alongside Trump after the operation in Venezuela.
Regarding 2028, the profile from Bloomberg describes Rubio as the most favored candidate in Trump's circle to succeed him in the White House, ahead of Vice President JD Vance.
Ken Griffin, CEO of Citadel and one of the largest funders of the Republican Party —having contributed over 100 million dollars to the 2024 campaign— stated this summer that he would support Rubio over Vance.
At a dinner at the White House, Trump asked his guests: “Who wants JD Vance? Who wants Marco Rubio?” and commented: “They seem like a good ticket,” although he clarified that this did not mean his endorsement.
At a fundraising event for Maga Inc. at Mar-a-Lago, almost all attendees raised their hands for Rubio when Trump asked the same question.
"Nobody says it out loud, but behind closed doors, many see him as the favorite for 2028. It's not something against JD. It's simply that Rubio is the best person to carry the torch,” said a Trump ally quoted by Bloomberg.
Rubio himself has publicly dismissed any immediate ambition. "I'm not talking about the presidency. I have two important jobs. They occupy all my time, seven days a week," he stated to Bloomberg Businessweek in a phone interview on September 11.
Sources close to the secretary acknowledge, however, that some in his circle have privately explored the optimal timing for a potential departure from the administration, and that he might consider the private sector before deciding on his next political move.
Rubio categorically denies it: «Whoever tells you that is simply lying. They are making it up to make themselves relevant».
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