NEW YORK, November 6. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he would support Vice President JD Vance if he runs for president, The New York Times reports.

Rubio declined to answer questions about whether he was considering running for president in 2028. "I literally will not talk about 2028 anymore," he said.

"JD is a very good friend of mine," Rubio told NBC News earlier, the newspaper notes. "If JD runs for president, I think he’d be a phenomenal candidate. I’ve said publicly, and I’ll say it again, I’ll be the first person to sign up and support him," Rubio added.

The Independent said earlier, citing sources, that Rubio was reportedly preparing to resign from Donald Trump’s cabinet to launch a bid for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. According to the newspaper, Rubio could step down following "disastrous midterm election results for Republicans," who lost control of both the House and the Senate. "Insiders suggest Mr. Rubio needs to distance himself from controversial policies, including the war in Iran, to improve his prospects against key rival Vice President JD Vance," The Independent noted.