Trump Hints to His MAGA Successor in 2028
President Trump names VP JD Vance as likely frontrunner, suggests Rubio could join a future ticket.
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President Donald Trump signaled on Tuesday that Vice President JD Vance is "probably favored" to carry the MAGA mantle into the 2028 presidential election.
Speaking during a White House ceremony on preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Trump responded to a reporter asking whether Vance is the heir apparent to the movement.
"Most likely, in all fairness, he’s the vice president," Trump said.
He also floated the possibility of Secretary of State Marco Rubio joining a future ticket alongside Vance.
While Trump stopped short of a formal endorsement, his comments clearly positioned Vance as the early frontrunner should he choose not to seek a third term himself.
Trump’s mention of Vance and Rubio also reflects a broader pattern in his political style: initial rivalry followed by strategic alliance.
JD Vance was once a vocal Trump critic, denouncing him during the 2016 campaign as "cultural heroin" and warning against his influence. But the two later reconciled, leading to Vance’s successful Senate run in 2022 and eventual rise to the vice presidency.
A similar arc played out with Marco Rubio, who clashed bitterly with Trump in the 2016 GOP primaries before joining the Trump administration as Secretary of State.
The same can be said of Ron DeSantis and Ted Cruz - both of whom were targets of Trump’s attacks before becoming key allies.
For Trump, crushing competition before offering an alliance has become a hallmark of his leadership style - both in politics and governance.