Sen. Rand Paul told ABC’s This Week he would not back Vice President JD Vance for a 2028 presidential bid, citing disagreements over the Trump administration’s tariff and trade policies. Paul criticized a recent GOP shift toward protectionist tariffs and said many Republicans have moved away from traditional free-market conservatism. He emphasized his intent to lead a free-market conservative faction and noted he opposed a signature domestic bill because it increased the national debt. When asked if Vance is the party’s heir apparent, Paul replied, “No.”
Rand Paul Says He Wouldn’t Back JD Vance for 2028, Citing Tariff and Trade Disagreements
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said on Sunday that he would not support Vice President JD Vance if Vance were to run for president in 2028, pointing to deep disagreements over tariff and trade policy.
Speaking on ABC News’s This Week, Paul framed his opposition in terms of principle: he said the Republican Party still needs elected officials who defend free trade, free-market capitalism and low taxes.
Paul Criticizes Protectionist Turn
When asked whether Vance is the heir apparent to former President Donald Trump as the GOP’s likely 2028 frontrunner, Paul singled out the administration’s tariff policies as a dealbreaker.
“I think there needs to be representatives in the Republican Party who still believe international trade is good, who still believe in free market capitalism, who still believe in low taxes,” Paul said.
Paul said he is concerned that many Republicans have shifted toward protectionist tariffs and a willingness to raise revenue rather than reduce spending. He voted against the administration’s signature domestic legislation, he said, because it increased the national debt.
“It used to separate conservatives and liberals that conservatives thought it was a spending problem — we didn’t want less revenue, we wanted less spending,” Paul said. “But now all these pro-tariff protectionists, they love taxes. And so they tax, tax, tax, and then they brag about all the revenue coming in. That has never been a conservative position.”
Paul added that he intends to continue leading a free-market conservative wing within the Republican Party and suggested time will tell how the party evolves.
ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl pressed whether Paul’s stance pointed to Vance as the party’s successor; Paul’s reply was an unequivocal “No.”
Reporting: ABC News interview on This Week. Remarks attributed to Sen. Rand Paul. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc.
