“I don’t know where these things come from, to be honest with you,” Marco Rubio told The New York Times, laughing off widespread reports that he plans to step down from his cabinet post ahead of a 2028 presidential bid.
Days after the Republican Party suffered a historic electoral drubbing in the midterms, two of Donald Trump’s most prominent cabinet officials find themselves fending off sudden exit rumors. While nine.com.au reported that Rubio is expected to quit his role in preparation for another run at the White House, both the State Department and the White House have sharply dismissed the speculation as fake news.
Working for the administration until the end of the term has always been the plan, Rubio insisted to The New York Times, adding that he genuinely enjoys the portfolio he holds. Yahoo News Australia noted that Rubio remarked with a laugh when asked which job he was supposedly leaving.
Under federal rules, however, a cabinet secretary must resign to actively campaign for the presidency, as government employment legally bars involvement in partisan political activities. Hillary Clinton faced the exact same requirement when she stepped down as secretary of state ahead of her 2016 run. By contrast, JD Vance is an elected official and would not be bound by those restrictions, leaving him free to keep his current job while mounting a potential campaign.
Stepping away from the administration could theoretically offer Rubio distance from a deeply unpopular president, particularly given his adversarial history with Trump during the 2016 Republican primaries. Back then, the pair frequently traded sharp barbs on the campaign trail.
White House Considers Tennessee Senate Move After Midterm Losses
While Rubio works to quiet transition rumors, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces a far more turbulent political environment as the administration handles the fallout from the midterms. Trump and Vance have both pointed to the ongoing conflict in Iran—now stretching into its ninth month—as a primary driver behind the heavy losses that handed Democrats control of both the House and the Senate, according to Yahoo News Australia.
Following the legislative fallout, reports indicate the White House is weighing a tactical political maneuver involving a Senate seat in Tennessee. Marsha Blackburn must vacate her seat in January following her election as governor, creating a vacancy that state governors traditionally fill by appointment. According to nine.com.au, reports indicate Trump has pressured Blackburn to resign early so Hegseth can be appointed to the seat immediately.
Executing the switch prior to January would allow a replacement defense secretary to secure confirmation under the current Republican-held Senate rather than facing the incoming Democratic majority. Though Hegseth originally hails from Minnesota, he relocated to Tennessee in 2022.
Asked about the prospect of Hegseth moving to Capitol Hill, Trump maintained a neutral stance during a telephone interview with ABC News, noting that he had received calls regarding the defense secretary but maintained every intention of keeping him at the Pentagon. Later at the White House, Trump praised Hegseth’s performance, highlighting achievements such as the January arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro alongside the military campaign in Iran.
Representative Massie Plans Resolution to Impeach Defense Secretary
Outgoing Republican Representative Thomas Massie told Politico that he intends to trigger a resolution to impeach the defense secretary as early as next week, citing the handling of the Iran war. Massie warned publicly on social media that the administration ought to replace Hegseth before the newly elected, Democratic-controlled Congress convenes in January.
While an actual conviction and removal from office remain statistically unlikely, the prospect of impeachment proceedings promises an uncomfortable and politically bruising fight for the Pentagon chief. The Washington Post also reported that the White House is weighing potential leadership changes for military advisers tied to the Iran strategy, including Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine and Centcom chief Admiral Brad Cooper.
Meanwhile, if the Tennessee Senate seat does open up early, the competition will extend far beyond the defense secretary. Other prominent local figures, including Representatives Tim Burchett and Chuck Fleischmann, have expressed interest. Former Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs—better known to professional wrestling fans by his WWE ring name, Kane—has also emerged as a potential contender for the appointment.
