Vice President JD Vance is emerging as President Trump's undisputed political heir for a potential 2028 run, according to Axios. A senior Trump adviser said Vance is "earning it, and Trump sees it," noting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio "wasn't planning to run anyway, and he'd be even less likely to do so now."
The shift comes after months where Trump reportedly pitted Vance and Rubio against each other, asking advisers whom they'd prefer at the top of a future ticket. That speculation has now quieted, with one insider stating the question has moved from "JD or Marco?" to "JD looks great, right?"
The inflection point arrived in mid-June, when Vance joined presidential envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in helping broker a memorandum of understanding with Iran. This diplomatic achievement, combined with a media blitz and a bestselling book, has bolstered his profile.
Vance's positioning carries significant weight for the 2028 Republican primary landscape. His current momentum suggests the vice president could enter any future race with substantial institutional backing, potentially clearing the field of major challengers.
A counterargument holds that a year is a long time in politics, and Trump's endorsement history shows he can be unpredictable. A scandal, foreign policy misstep, or a change in Trump's calculations could revive competition, particularly if Rubio remains a visible force at State.