Longtime conservative strategist Rick Wilson has asserted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is planning a presidential run in 2028, despite Rubio's past statements suggesting he would not challenge Vice President JD Vance for the Republican nomination. Wilson, a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, stated on the "Against All Enemies" podcast that Rubio's team is "actively planning his run."
"He's full of shit. I've known Marco a very long time. He's completely full of shit," Wilson said. He claimed that individuals working for Rubio at a high level are engaging with donors, the press, and political power brokers in early primary states. "They are all talking to the money people. They are all talking to the press. They are all talking to political power brokers in the various early states. They are planning a run," Wilson asserted.
Wilson predicted that Rubio would eventually announce his candidacy, potentially framing it as a need for new leadership. "Rubio, he predicted, will 'come out and go, While I did not want to run against my friend, JD Vance, I believe it is time for new leadership that breaks away…' I mean, I can see the speech in my head because I’ve written it a thousand times," Wilson added.
Earlier in the podcast episode, Wilson also commented on former President Donald Trump's potential strategy for anointing a successor. Wilson suggested that Trump might prolong the selection process by hinting at his own candidacy to deter other Republicans. He also posited that Trump might eventually endorse a candidate, such as his son Donald Trump Jr., to maintain influence and financial activities from his Mar-a-Lago residence.