US President Donald Trump has privately told donors he wants Vice President JD Vance to win the 2028 presidential election, signalling openness to endorsing him, The Washington Post reported.
“At the end of the day, we need to elect JD,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with donors about two weeks ago, according to people familiar with the remarks.
The report on Thursday said that the comment differed from Trump’s public stance over the past year, during which he encouraged competition between Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
He has praised both, suggested they could run together, and declined to name a preferred successor.
Despite expressing support for Vance to donors, Trump has continued asking advisers to compare Vance and Rubio.
One White House official reportedly said he questioned staff about the two during a Marine One flight late last month.
One adviser reportedly said the president has privately decided Vance should lead the GOP after him, but that it is “too early” to determine when Vance will announce his candidacy or when Trump will publicly endorse him.
