President Donald Trump refrained Tuesday from fully endorsing Vice President JD Vance as his anointed successor for the 2028 race, only saying he would “probably” emerge as the favorite to carry forward the MAGA brand.
When asked during a conversation with reporters Tuesday evening whether Vance would become the next leader of MAGA, Trump responded “most likely, in all fairness. He’s the vice president.” However, he added that it was “too early” to make that call.
Trump mentioned that he has many “incredible” individuals on his team and even floated the idea that Vance might team up with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on a ticket.
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Loved by the MAGA base, Vance is widely viewed as the individual most likely to be the GOP nominee if Trump steps aside before 2028.
While barred by the U.S. Constitution from seeking a third term, Trump once again entertained the possibility of running again earlier on Tuesday, arguing that his polling is better than ever, and attributing that to the popularity of his tariff policies.
“I’d like to run, I have the best poll numbers I’ve ever had,” he said, even though recent RealClearPolitics results show his approval slipping.
“You know why? Because people love the tariffs, and they love that foreign countries aren’t ripping us off.”
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Trump further speculated in his Tuesday evening remarks: “I think Marco is also somebody that maybe would get together with JD in some form. I also think we have incredible people -- some of the people on the stage right here.”
He added, “So it’s too early, obviously, to talk about it, but certainly he’s doing a great job, and he would be probably favored at this point.”