Donald Trump stated this Wednesday that a joint ticket between Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the 2028 presidential elections would be “very hard to beat”,
“I believe that JD and Marco as a team would be very difficult to defeat,” Trump said in statements made during the podcast Pod Force One by journalist Miranda Devine.
"I believe that JD and Marco, as a team, would be very difficult to beat," he stated.
The leader emphasized that both «get along very well», and highlighted «the human equation» of their relationship, without showing any preference for one over the other.
The episode had a duration of approximately 48 minutes and also covered topics such as Benjamin Netanyahu, the war with Iran, and Ron DeSantis.
A deliberately open succession
The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution prevents Trump from seeking a third term, making the succession of the MAGA movement the major political gamble for the Republican Party leading up to 2028.
Since August 2025, Trump has maintained a calculated strategic ambiguity, then pointing to Vance as his "most likely" successor.
However, the praise for Rubio has continued to grow, especially following his rise in foreign policy.
In February 2026, Trump consulted about 25 donors at Mar-a-Lago regarding their preferences; the response was "80-20 in favor of Rubio," according to NBC News and The Wall Street Journal.
In May, during a dinner at the White House Rose Garden, Trump described the potential duo as a "dream team" and a "perfect ticket," but added, "That doesn't mean I support them under any circumstances. But, you know, it's perfect."
Trump's private doubts about Vance
Last Sunday, the New York Times published a report based on more than a dozen sources close to the White House, revealing that Trump privately asks if Vance "has what it takes to go all the way," and that he often responds that he is not sure.
In November 2025, during a breakfast with Republican senators, Trump loudly asked why Vance wasn't more deferential, comparing him to officials of Chinese President Xi Jinping: "Why don't you act that way? JD interrupts the conversations!"
In an interview with Fortune magazine in the Oval Office, Trump was straightforward about what is at stake: “Whoever gets this is going to be very important. And if you choose the wrong person: a disaster.”
Technical tie in the polls
The surveys reflect a rapidly evolving landscape.
According to the Emerson College poll from May 2026, Vance receives 36% compared to 35% for Rubio among Republican voters - a virtual tie - when in February Vance had 52% and Rubio only 20%.
Vance has the support of figures like Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, and Elon Musk, and 75% of Republicans view him favorably according to Pew.
Rubio, on the other hand, dominates among the major donors of the financial establishment and simultaneously serves as Secretary of State and interim National Security Advisor.
The war with Iran, which began on February 28, 2026, has complicated Vance's position, who initially opposed the conflict but has publicly defended it, while Rubio has emerged strengthened as the architect of the administration's foreign policy.
In response to Trump's statements today, Vance replied with an ironic tone, dismissing the idea of a competition in the style of The Apprentice to select a successor.
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