President Donald Trump disputed a report Wednesday that he privately told major donors to support Vice President JD Vance for the 2028 presidential election, insisting it’s “way too early” to make an official endorsement.
The Washington Post reported that Trump told GOP benefactors during an Oval Office meeting roughly two weeks prior that “at the end of the day, we need to elect JD.” When asked if that statement constituted an endorsement of Vance, Trump said “No,” adding that while he thinks Vance is “great,” the timing for a formal backing is premature.
Trump’s denial came after Fox News confirmed the Washington Post’s account with its own source. Multiple Trumpworld advisers and allies told the Post, however, that they remain unconvinced Trump has truly settled on Vance as his successor. The advisers noted that Trump “tells different things to different people” and could still change his mind, according to the reporting.
Trump has spent months publicly playing up a competition for his favor between Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the 2028 GOP nomination. He has repeatedly suggested the two would make a “dream team” on a joint ticket without specifying which would run for president. Vance joked in May that Trump was mimicking his experience as host of “The Apprentice” by staging a televised succession contest, though he added sarcastically that such a scenario would be unusual for a sitting president.
Vance has previously said he would discuss a potential 2028 bid with his wife, Usha, after the 2026 midterm elections. In June, he told CBS News that he had “no doubt that the president of the United States is going to be very supportive” of whatever decision he ultimately makes. He has also consistently praised his relationship with Rubio when asked about potentially competing against him for the nomination.
One Trump adviser with direct knowledge of the president’s private comment said Trump has concluded that Vance will be his chosen heir, but that it is “too early” to determine when Vance will announce or when Trump will publicly back him. Trump aides widely agree the president will delay any endorsement to avoid appearing to be a lame duck during his current term.
The succession dynamics reflect broader questions about the future of the MAGA movement and the Republican Party. Vance is more aligned with the younger MAGA coalition that returned Trump to power in 2024, while Rubio has the backing of most traditional GOP donors. Vance has spent his vice presidency developing relationships with party benefactors to fundraise for the GOP, and recently impressed Trump by negotiating a June ceasefire deal with Iran, according to Trump advisers.
Sources
- Washington Post — reported Trump’s private remarks to donors about Vance and his public competition with Rubio, with analysis from multiple Trump advisers on the president’s succession thinking
- New York Post — confirmed Trump’s denial of the report, his statement that it’s “way too early” to endorse, and context on Vance and Rubio’s positions
- The Hill — provided Trump’s direct quotes disputing the report, details on his public competition between the two candidates, and Vance’s sarcastic comments about the “Apprentice” comparison
