Trump pitches Vance to donors as next presidential candidate in private meeting - report

President Donald Trump reportedly told donors in a private Oval Office meeting that Vice President JD Vance should be the Republican presidential candidate in 2028, according to The Washington Post. Anonymous sources say Trump said, "At the end of the day, we need to elect JD." An advisor says Trump has privately resolved on Vance, but others caution he may change his mind. Vance's main rival is Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who enjoys strong support among Jewish Americans.

US President Donald Trump has reportedly told his donors that he wants Vice President JD Vance to win the 2028 presidential election, according to a Washington Post report published on Thursday. During a private meeting in the Oval Office two weeks ago, Trump told donors, "At the end of the day, we need to elect JD," according to two anonymous sources. One presidential advisor told the Washington Post that Trump has privately resolved that Vance will be the next Republican candidate, but it is "too early" to know when he will announce his candidacy. However, other advisors cautioned that Trump could still change his mind about the endorsement, noting that he tells different things to different people. One 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's main opponent in the 2028 race is thought to be Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has received widespread support from Jewish Americans. Activist Shabbos Kestenbaum said in May that in American Jewish conservative circles, support for Rubio is overwhelming, estimating a margin of 99 to 1. Trump has floated a Vance-Rubio ticket without specifying which he prefers as president.