Trump privately urges donors to back JD Vance for the 2028 presidential election

US President Donald Trump has privately urged donors to support Vice President JD Vance in the 2028 presidential election despite publicly fostering competition between Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

According to The Washington Post reports Thursday, President Trump told donors in an Oval Office meeting about two weeks ago that “At the end of the day, we need to elect JD, voicing his preference for Vice President JD Vance to succeed him in the 2028 presidential election.

The confidential remarks differ from Trump’s public stance over the past year during which he fostered market forces between Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio while praising both men and suggesting they could run together, according to the newspaper.

Trump has maintained consultations to compare the two potential candidates with one White House official saying he questioned personnel about Vance and Rubio during a Marine One flight last month despite expressing support for Vance to donors.

On the contrary, six other Trump allies feel uncertain that they are not convinced the president has settled on Vance, noting that he often tells different people different things and could still transform the mind.

In this connection, an official said: “Anyone assuming it's a lock is just getting way ahead of themselves or just doesn't know the president very well.”

Vance had not announced any plans to wait until the birth of his fourth child while it remains unclear whether the Secretary of State would agree to join a primary ticket.