Kenneth Glad
A White House event focused on Secret Service praise also opened a public window into Republican succession politics. Donald Trump put JD Vance and Marco Rubio before the room, then left the biggest question unanswered.
Donald Trump asked guests at the White House to react to Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to the Daily Mail.
The exchange came during Rose Garden remarks that moved from the recent assassination attempt to the next Republican presidential race.
Trump did not announce a preference, but he used the crowd’s applause to test how the two men sounded as a possible ticket.
After asking who supported Vance and who supported Rubio, Trump responded: “Sounds like a good ticket.”
He then made clear that the order was not settled. “Is it gonna be JD? Is it gonna be someone else? I don’t know,” he said.
Two contenders
Vance and Rubio are among the most visible figures in Trump’s administration. Both previously served in the U.S. Senate, both built national political brands, and both now occupy roles that keep them close to major policy decisions.
That makes them natural names in early 2028 speculations.
Vance is the sitting vice president, a role that often places its holder near the front of a party’s next presidential conversation.
Rubio, as secretary of state, holds one of the most prominent Cabinet positions and has long been known to Republican voters.
Their political histories add tension to the discussion. The Daily Mail notes that both men opposed Trump’s early 2016 presidential bid before later becoming senior figures in his orbit.
Trump praised the idea of the pair running together, calling them a “dream team.” But he quickly narrowed the meaning of that praise, saying: “That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance.”
Rubio and Vance
Rubio previously told reporters he would support Vance if the vice president choose to run:
“If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him.”
That statement has not ended speculation. In presidential politics, public deference can coexist with private positioning, especially when no candidate has formally claimed the lane.
The newspaper also cited Kalshi prediction-market figures placing Vance at 35 percent and Rubio at 31 percent for the next Republican nomination.
Assassination attempt
Trump also referred to the recent assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, DC.
He praised the Secret Service response, then turned the moment into a joke about Vance being pulled from his chair. Trump said that agents lifted him “like he was a little boy.”
Footage of Vance being moved by a Secret Service agent also spread widely online after the incident.
Trump ended without endorsing a successor. But by naming Vance and Rubio in front of supporters, he ensured that both men remains at the center of the 2028 discussion.
Sources: Daily Mail
