WP: Trump leans toward Vance as 2028 heir, but Rubio remains in play

President Donald Trump recently told donors in private that he wants to see his vice president win the 2028 presidential election, signalling that he is open to publicly backing JD Vance, although some advisers caution that he has not yet made a final decision on a successor, The Washington Post (WP) reports.

“At the end of the day, we need to elect JD,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with donors about two weeks ago, according to two people familiar with the remarks.

The private comment contrasts with Trump's public stance over the past year, during which he has encouraged competition for his endorsement between Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

One of Trump's advisers said Vance has greatly impressed the president by securing the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Iran, leading an anti-fraud campaign, and effectively responding to criticism in the media.

Other sources told The Washington Post they remain uncertain whether Trump will ultimately endorse Vance or Rubio. According to them, the president gives conflicting signals to different people and could still change his mind. They added that Trump is likely to delay publicly backing any candidate for as long as possible so as not to look like “a lame duck.” 

A source close to Rubio said the secretary of state has reduced his media appearances to avoid fueling speculation about his political ambitions. Vance has also refrained from making any public statements about his future.

The Trump adviser also told the newspaper that the president still envisions Vance and Rubio running as a ticket, although it remains unclear whether Rubio would be willing to seek the vice presidency.

Trump has repeatedly said he views Vance and Rubio as the ideal candidates to lead the country after his presidency and has expressed confidence that a Vance-Rubio ticket would be unbeatable in the 2028 election. However, he has not specified which office he believes each of them should seek.

By Jeyhun Aghazada