President Donald Trump has given his clearest private indication yet of who he favours to carry the Republican Party’s mantle after his presidency, reportedly telling donors that Vice President JD Vance should be the one to succeed him.

During a private meeting in the Oval Office roughly two weeks ago, Trump told a group of donors that at the end of the day, the party needs to elect JD, according to sources who spoke to the Washington Post and later confirmed the remark to Fox News.

Sources say the comment does not amount to a formal endorsement, since Trump has continued to publicly praise both Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio without settling on either one. He has previously described Vance’s work fighting fraud as great, while calling Rubio potentially the greatest secretary of state in history, and even floated a Vance-Rubio ticket as unstoppable at one point.

Even after the donor meeting, Trump reportedly kept quizzing aides about the two men during a Marine One ride, suggesting he has not made a final decision.

Still, an adviser close to Trump said the president has privately resolved that Vance will be the party’s heir, though it remains too early to know when Vance might launch a campaign or when Trump might follow through with a public endorsement.

While Vance is widely viewed as the frontrunner heading into 2028, Rubio has reportedly been narrowing the gap in national polls and early primary state surveys, setting up what could become a genuine contest once the race begins in earnest after this year’s midterm elections.

Photo Credit: The Washington Post