Nicolai Haugsted
After months of speculation, insiders believe Trump has made up his mind.
Attention inside the White House is increasingly shifting beyond the current administration and toward the Republican Party’s future. While President Donald Trump has repeatedly declined to publicly name a preferred successor, fresh claims from multiple administration insiders suggest the internal conversation may have changed dramatically.
According to The irish Star via. Axios, several White House aides now believe Vice President JD Vance has emerged as Trump’s clear favorite to carry the MAGA movement into the 2028 presidential race.
A changing tone inside the White House
For months, speculation centered on whether Trump would ultimately lean toward Vice President JD Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
That uncertainty now appears to have faded, at least according to officials who spoke anonymously with Axios.
“JD is earning it, and Trump sees it.”
Another White House source told the outlet that the president is no longer framing the discussion as a choice between Vance and Rubio.
“POTUS isn’t asking, ‘JD or Marco?’ anymore.”
Instead, the source claimed Trump has increasingly praised his vice president in private conversations.
Despite those reports, Trump himself has not publicly endorsed anyone as his preferred successor.
Vance’s profile continues to grow
Axios links the reported shift to several recent developments that have raised Vance’s standing within Republican circles.
The vice president has reportedly raised millions of dollars for the Republican National Committee, completed dozens of media interviews promoting his latest memoir, and is preparing for an extended national book tour.
The outlet also reports that Vance played a prominent role alongside Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in negotiations surrounding a proposed framework aimed at easing tensions between the United States and Iran. While the effort resulted in a tentative agreement, it stopped short of producing a lasting ceasefire.
Those developments have fueled growing speculation that Vance is quietly positioning himself for a presidential campaign.
Rubio remains in the picture
Marco Rubio has consistently dismissed suggestions that he intends to seek the presidency himself, publicly indicating he would support Vance should the vice president decide to run.
Even so, Trump has continued to avoid making any formal endorsement.
As recently as June, he described both Vance and Rubio as strong candidates while emphasizing there was still plenty of time before the next presidential election cycle.
Axios also notes that Trump has, at various points, reportedly cooled on Vance behind closed doors, highlighting how fluid the political landscape remains despite the latest claims from unnamed White House sources.
One Republican ally quoted by the outlet argued that momentum is increasingly on Vance’s side.
“JD’s looking good, and everyone in the administration knows it.”
