Secretary of State Marco Rubio took a break from his diplomatic schedule Friday to deliver the Barbara K. Olson Memorial Lecture at the Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention, where he put to rest rumors that he is imminently resigning to run for president and instead took up the mantle of coalition bridge builder.
His speech comes as Republicans are still licking their wounds following Tuesday’s wipeout losses in the 2026 midterm elections. Some in the GOP have also suggested that last Tuesday’s results are an indication Rubio should be the nominee in 2028. Multiple outlets reported last week that he is contemplating resigning his post to campaign in full, but Rubio’s remarks themselves gave no explicit indication he is plotting that course.
