President Donald Trump appears to have indicated his preference for Senator JD Vance as his successor and the future face of the GOP, according to a Washington Post report.

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 polling allies and staff on 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." The source added that Vance, like Ron DeSantis, has the ability to evangelize MAGA in a way that attracts people rather than repels them.

Another source described Vance as the "natural pick," noting that he already holds office. After the Oval Office meeting, Trump reportedly asked two guests on Marine One whether Vance or Rubio should run.

While Trump has shown some interest in discussing the 2028 election and even joked about running for a third term, a second source close to the administration said the campaign team is currently focused on the 2026 midterms. Trump himself 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