Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the Federalist Society on Friday evening, delivering his first major remarks since the GOP’s midterm losses.
Republicans lost a net 41 House seats and eight Senate seats in the midterm elections. Those results prompted sharp reflection within the conservative movement.
Rubio urged supporters to take a long-term view of political struggle rather than focusing solely on election cycles. During his address at the annual national lawyers’ convention in Washington, D.C., he said that political power extends well beyond electoral victories. He pointed out that influence also resides in universities, the press, and civil society institutions.
To put the recent political climate into historical perspective, Rubio compared the mood among contemporary conservatives to the challenges faced by former President Ronald Reagan in early 1982. At that time, the Reagan administration encountered a major political crisis and a drop in approval ratings. He likened the resilience of the conservative movement to the Continental Army under George Washington in December 1776, before ultimate victory was secured at Yorktown.
“I think the game is pretty near up,” George Washington wrote in a letter to his brother, according to Rubio.
“Politics requires more than simply winning elections,” Rubio said, according to NBC News.
Voters angry over higher costs handed Democrats control of Congress after blaming the administration for its tariffs, the war in Iran, and unfulfilled promises to lower prices, according to the Associated Press.
Rubio said that Americans are struggling economically. He addressed the friction surrounding the conflict in Iran, saying that the health of a citizen’s personal economy depends on whether they have enough money to afford necessities rather than the performance of the stock market.
Believe me, no war is popular. Right now, frankly, the economic pain that we are inflicting on that regime is so great that there’s no need for military action because we’ve weakened them so much. But I think victory is ensuring that they never have a nuclear weapon.
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, via NOTUS
Addressing attendees at the conference, Rubio defended aggressive immigration enforcement policies. He also defended the sinking of boats allegedly used to traffic drugs in the Caribbean Sea, and the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
In his prepared remarks, Rubio condemned the weaponization of international law by global elites and activist courts. He argued that international bodies use legal rules as instruments to advance specific interests under the pretense of universal principles.
He referenced Roman history when discussing the enforcement of international legal decrees, drawing laughter from the audience as reported by The Hill.
Stop quoting laws to men with swords.
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, quoting the Roman general Pompey, via The Hill
The appearance fueled speculation about Rubio’s political future, as Republicans consider potential contenders for the 2028 presidential race.
A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll cited by The Hill showed 45 percent of Republican voters rating him as an excellent candidate. While in Paris for meetings with Group of Seven counterparts, Rubio told reporters that he would not discuss a 2028 presidential run in any form or fashion.
