President Donald Trump appears to have indicated his preferred successor as the face of the GOP and potential White House contender, favoring Senator JD Vance, according to a Washington Post report cited by the Daily Caller.

During a recent private meeting with donors in the Oval Office, Trump reportedly said, “at the end of the day, we need to elect JD,” according to two people familiar with the comments. Trump has been privately and publicly consulting allies about whether Vance or Senator Marco Rubio should succeed him.

A source close to the administration told the Daily Caller that Vance "has all the bona fides of Trump, with a charm and disarming personality that makes it hard to taint him with the brashness and sometimes undesirable qualities of the President. He, like DeSantis, has an ability to evangelize MAGA that moves people toward it, not away from it."

The same source added that "having the President’s backing is the biggest hurdle, and it’s one that will keep others at bay." Another source described Vance as the "natural pick," noting he already holds office.

After the Oval Office meeting, Trump reportedly asked two guests aboard Marine One whether Vance or Rubio should run. While Trump has shown some interest in discussing the 2028 election and joked about a third term, a source said his team is currently focused on the 2026 midterms.

Trump acknowledged hearing about the Washington Post story but said, “No… I think he’s great, but we’re way too early to even be thinking about that.”

Sources