Trump gives Vance nod for MAGA heir in 2028

President Trump said Tuesday that Vice President J.D. Vance is the “most likely” heir to the MAGA movement and likely the Republican 2028 nominee.

He also cautioned that it was too soon to settle on a successor.

“I think most likely, in all fairness,” Mr. Trump said when asked if he would clear the field by backing Mr. Vance. “It’s too early to talk about it, but certainly he’s doing a great job, and he would be probably favored at this point.”

The president also suggested that Secretary of State Marco Rubio could “get together” with Mr. Vance and create a powerful ticket. He also said other members of his Cabinet could have a future leading the MAGA movement.

Mr. Trump has often talked about running for a third term, which is prohibited by the Constitution. Sometimes he raises the issue as a joke, while other times he appears more serious about the matter.

Earlier Tuesday, Mr. Trump said he would “probably not” seek a third term.

Early polls show Mr. Vance with a wide lead over other candidates, assuming Mr. Trump doesn’t try to run again. A recent Economist/YouGov survey found that 43% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents picked Mr. Vance as their “ideal” GOP nominee, followed by Donald Trump Jr. at 11%, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 8% and Mr. Rubio at 4%. 

Mr. Rubio competed against Mr. Trump in the 2016 Republican primary and ran that race as an establishment-friendly candidate embracing traditional conservative ideals such as immigration reform. However, since joining the second Trump administration, he has embraced the MAGA movement.