President Donald Trump just tipped his hand on who he wants leading the Republican Party in 2028.
During a recent private donor meeting in the Oval Office, Trump said “at the end of the day, we need to elect JD,” according to two people with knowledge of the comments who spoke to the Washington Post.
For months, Trump has privately and publicly polled allies, friends and staff on the same question: Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio?
“JD has all the bona fides of Trump, with a charm and disarming personality that makes it hard to taint him with the brashness and sometimes undesirable qualities of the President.”
A source close to the administration told Daily Caller that Vance, like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, has the ability to evangelize MAGA in a way that moves people toward it, not away from it.
“Having the President’s backing is the biggest hurdle, and it’s one that will keep others at bay. The fact that it’s coming so early is great for the party when the other side is lost,” the source added.
When the Daily Caller asked Trump about the report in the Oval Office, the president denied it was a formal endorsement.
“No… I think he’s great, but we’re way to early to even be thinking about that,” Trump said, acknowledging he had heard of the Post story.
While Trump has seemed interested in discussing 2028 — sometimes even joking he would run for a third term — a second source close to the administration told the Caller that the operations crew has only been thinking and talking about 2026 and the midterms.
Despite the Oval Office comment to donors, Trump has continued to ask people for their thoughts about Vance versus Rubio, the Washington Post reported.
One adviser to the president told the outlet that Trump has “privately resolved” that Vance will succeed him but it remains too early to determine when the president will formally endorse the vice president.
A third source close to the administration told the Caller that, as with Trump’s selection of a vice president, no one will know his choice until he officially says something — and the only person who really knows what he meant and what he is thinking is the president.
Behind the scenes, Trump has consistently praised the vice president, the source added.
“Anyone assuming it’s a lock is just getting way ahead of themselves, or just doesn’t know the president very well.”
Another source close to the administration told the Caller that Trump’s remark to donors may not be set in stone, but the president’s comfort with Vance could ultimately tip him toward the veep. He is the natural pick, the source said, given that Vance already holds the office.
After making the Oval Office comment about Vance, Trump asked two guests on Marine One whether Vance or Rubio should run, the Post reported.
On the Washington Post report that Trump told donors they need to elect Vance in 2028, POTUS tells me that was not an endorsement.
"No… I think he's great, but we're way to early to even be thinking about that." pic.twitter.com/aYuM0nPAgP
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) August 6, 2026
