'Need to elect JD', Trump mulls over Vance as Presidential candidate for 2028: Report

In a private meeting with donors, US President Donald Trump weighed on Vice-President JD Vance's name as the presidential candidate for the 2028 elections, according to a report by the Washington Post.

In a private meeting with donors, US President Donald Trump weighed in on Vice-President JD Vance's name as the presidential candidate for the 2028 elections, according to a report by the Washington Post. Citing two people with knowledge of the comments, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, The Washington Post reported that Trump told donors in a meeting roughly two weeks ago at the Oval Office that he wants to see his vice president win the 2028 presidential election -- a sign that he is open to publicly backing JD Vance.

The discussions on passing the baton come even as some advisers caution that Trump has yet to settle firmly on a successor. "At the end of the day, we need to elect JD," Trump said, according to two people with knowledge of the comments who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter.

The report further underlined that advisers say the remark doesn't mean the president has settled on a preferred candidate in 2028 as he continues to weigh between JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The private remarks stand in contrast to the US President's rhetoric in the past year. He has openly mused that the two would make a good joint ticket and has repeatedly declined to specify who he would prefer to see at the top.

According to the report, while Trump buoyed his vice president to donors in the Oval Office, he was still peppering people around him with questions about Vance versus Rubio. According to one White House official, the president quizzed staff about the two men on a Marine One ride late last month.

Meanwhile, an adviser to the president with direct knowledge of Trump's comment to the donors said that Trump has privately resolved that Vance will be the heir to the GOP, but that it is "too early" to determine when Vance will announce his candidacy or when Trump will publicly endorse him--the Washington Post report mentioned. It added that six other Trumpworld advisers and allies, however, cautioned that they aren't convinced the president has settled on Vance, noting that Trump tells different things to different people and could still change his mind about an endorsement for 2028.

"Anyone assuming it's a lock is just getting way ahead of themselves, or just doesn't know the president very well," said the official with knowledge of Trump's recent Vance-Rubio poll on Marine One, according to the Washington Post. Vance has, however, not confirmed his plans.

People who have spoken to him about the matter told The Washington Post earlier this year that he had not yet made a decision. One person close to Vance said he would delay a call until after the birth of his fourth child, who arrived July 19, it added. Earlier in June, Vance told CBS News that he would discuss the matter with his wife after the midterms but said he had "no doubt that the president of the United States is going to be very supportive" of whatever decision he makes. He has repeatedly said that he is focused on his current job and that he is good friends with Rubio.

However, the prospect of a succession fight has reportedly already generated some of the tensions of a heated primary, with donors, activists and other party figures passionately speaking out for or against Vance. According to the report, much depends on the midterms.

A poor showing for Republicans could embolden challengers to run against Trump's choice and be more critical of his administration. Vance or Rubio could be vulnerable to intraparty attacks that Republicans would not levy against Trump himself. The Washington Post also mentioned that during the 2024 running-mate contest and now, Rubio had the backing of most pre-Trump GOP donors, while Vance is more aligned with the younger MAGA coalition that returned Trump to power in 2024 but is now at risk of fraying. He has also spent his vice presidency developing relationships with party benefactors to fundraise for the GOP.

"Vance has done a lot of political work in the last year and a half," said the Trump adviser with knowledge of his recent comment to donors. As pee The Washington Post, Rubio recoils at any discussion of 2028 and has recently reduced his media availability to avoid facing more questions about it, a person close to him said.

However, his media team briefly increased speculation about his ambitions earlier this year, when they produced a widely shared video of him giving a campaign-style monologue while holding a press briefing. It further underlined that in some internal conversations, the person said, Rubio has alluded to his remaining time in office, implying he intends to serve out the term.

He does not have a campaign-in-waiting or political operation ready to assemble. The Trump adviser said that Trump still would like to see Rubio on a joint ticket with Vance -- and the president regularly praises Rubio -- but that it is unclear whether Rubio would actually want the role of Vance's running mate. A Rubio spokesman declined to comment. (ANI)