President Trump has privately told allies he prefers Vice President J.D. Vance to lead the Republican Party in 2028, The Washington Post reported on Aug. 6. During a private Oval Office meeting, Trump said, "At the end of the day, we need to elect JD." An adviser said Trump has privately settled on Vance but that it is still "too early" for any public endorsement or campaign timeline. Several close aides remain skeptical that Trump’s preference is final, and neither man has formally declared a 2028 bid.
Trump Privately Tells Allies He Favors VP J.D. Vance To Lead GOP In 2028
Graeme Jennings – Pool via Washington Examiner / MEGA
President Donald Trump has privately told close allies that he prefers Vice President J.D. Vance to carry the Republican banner into the 2028 presidential contest, The Washington Post reported on Aug. 6.
According to the Post, two people familiar with the remarks said that during a private Oval Office meeting roughly two weeks earlier Trump declared,
"At the end of the day, we need to elect JD."
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Trump’s Private Preference
One presidential adviser with direct knowledge of Trump’s comments to donors told the Post that the former president has privately settled on Vance, 42, as his preferred successor to lead the Republican Party. The adviser cautioned it is still "too early" to set a timeline for any campaign announcement or a public endorsement.
Mixed Signals Inside the GOP
Not everyone close to Trump is convinced he has made a final decision. The Post quoted six other allies and advisers who said Trump often tells different people different things and could change course. The reporting also notes that Trump has floated the idea of Sen. Marco Rubio joining Vance on a future ticket, though Rubio’s willingness to play that role remains unclear.
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Vance’s Public Responses
Vance has offered cautious answers when asked about a possible 2028 run. In a November 2025 exchange with Fox News host Sean Hannity, he said,
"I would say that I've thought about what that moment might look like after the midterm elections, sure, but I also, whenever I think about that, I try to put it out of my head and remind myself the American people elected me to do a job right now. And my job is to do it."
In June, the vice president told CBS Sunday Morning,
"I have no doubt that the president of the United States is going to be very supportive of anything that I ultimately decide to do. But we really just haven't talked about what that thing will be."
What Comes Next
At present, neither Trump nor Vance has publicly committed to a 2028 campaign, leaving long-term Republican leadership unresolved as speculation builds. The Washington Post story frames the remarks as part of ongoing private conversations among GOP leaders about succession planning and future tickets.
Reporting: The Washington Post (Aug. 6). Quotes attributed to Trump, Vance and advisers are drawn from that account and on-camera interviews cited in the reportage.
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