JUST IN: Trump Picks His 2028 Successor

President Donald Trump may be moving closer to identifying Vice President JD Vance as the Republican best positioned to carry the America First movement into the 2028 presidential election.

Trump has repeatedly avoided publicly choosing between Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, praising both men as potential future presidents. But according to a new MS NOW report citing anonymous sources familiar with Trump’s private conversations, the president has recently begun speaking more favorably about Vance.

“It’s become, ‘JD’s our guy, we gotta help JD,’” said one of several sources who spoke to the outlet on condition of anonymity.

Another source said Trump has repeatedly commented that Vance has been looking great during his recent public appearances.

“There’s been a lot of that,” the person added.

The apparent shift reportedly followed Vance’s media tour promoting his memoir, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, which details his 2019 conversion to Catholicism.

Vance appeared across a wide range of media outlets, including programs traditionally hostile to the Trump administration.

During an appearance on ABC’s The View, Vance received a surprisingly cordial reception. Co-host Ana Navarro even joked about Joy Behar appearing to be “so in love with” the vice president.

Vance also appeared on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher. Maher later suggested he would be open to supporting Vance in the 2028 election under the right circumstances.

The vice president made multiple appearances on Fox News and joined Megyn Kelly’s podcast, where he addressed disagreements within the MAGA movement over the conflict with Iran.

Vance described the internal fighting as “very immature,” arguing that conservatives should not immediately abandon President Trump whenever they disagree with a particular administration decision.

According to people familiar with Trump’s thinking, Vance’s ability to defend the administration before both friendly and skeptical audiences made a strong impression on the president.

Trump has also reportedly complimented Vance’s recent weight loss.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently said that he and Vance were among several administration officials following a diet featuring fermented foods such as sauerkraut.

Vance’s standing has not been without setbacks.

He played a significant role in negotiating the administration’s memorandum of understanding with Iran alongside Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. Trump was reportedly disappointed when the agreement collapsed earlier this month.

Some White House officials have also complained that Vance’s team pays too much attention to online criticism.

“Team Vance is extremely self-conscious about what people are saying about him — both here and just randos online — almost to a fault,” one White House official told MS NOW.

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales nevertheless described Vance as Trump’s “right-hand man” and “an invaluable member” of the president’s national-security team.

She pointed to the major responsibilities Trump has entrusted to Vance, including helping lead negotiations with Iran, chairing the administration’s anti-fraud task force, and working to advance the SAVE America Act.

Whether Trump ever seriously viewed Vance and Rubio as political rivals remains unclear.

Allies of both men insist that reports of tension have been exaggerated. Trump has a long history of encouraging competition within his inner circle without formally endorsing a successor.

Rubio has also publicly said he would support Vance if the vice president seeks the Republican nomination in 2028. Vance, meanwhile, has described Rubio as one of his closest friends.

Trump has not formally endorsed anyone for 2028, and his views could change before the Republican primary begins.

For now, however, the latest report suggests that Vance’s media performances, loyalty to the administration, and connection to the America First base have strengthened his position with the president.

Should Trump eventually endorse him, Vance would immediately become the overwhelming favorite to inherit the political movement Trump built.