Trump hints vice president JD Vance could be his 2028 successor

Wednesday 06 August 2025 - 13:45

U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that his vice president, JD Vance, could be the Republican Party’s candidate for the 2028 presidential election.

Speaking to journalists at the White House on Tuesday, Trump responded to a question about a possible "MAGA" successor by saying, “It’s very likely (...), he is the vice president.” The term "MAGA" refers to the populist movement Trump founded during his 2024 campaign.

The president added, “It’s too early to talk about it, but he’s undoubtedly doing a very good job, and would probably be the favorite at this point.” Until now, Trump had refrained from endorsing anyone as a successor within his movement.

Although Trump once floated the idea of running for a third term — a notion that violates the U.S. Constitution — he has since walked back that claim. On Tuesday, he also hinted at a potential political alliance between JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the next election cycle.

JD Vance, a former senator from Ohio and Trump’s running mate in 2024, has become a central figure in the Trump administration. A staunch advocate of conservative Christian values, he has previously expressed interest in running for president in 2028, though he emphasized any such decision would follow discussions with Trump.