Trump Sidesteps 2028 GOP Endorsement on Vance, Rubio

Trump said both men were highly capable and suggested that a Vance–Rubio ticket would be difficult to defeat.

U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio attend a meeting with oil industry executives at the White House in Washington on Jan. 9, 2026. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump opted not to choose between Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as potential successors in the 2028 Republican presidential primary during a Feb. 4 interview with NBC News.

The president had, on earlier occasions, suggested that Rubio and Vance would be the top Republican contenders for 48th president of the United States.