President Donald Trump on Wednesday declined to endorse a potential successor for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, choosing instead to praise both Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their capabilities.
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In an interview with NBC News, Trump said he was “inclined” to endorse a candidate in the future but did not want to discuss the matter yet, citing the three-year gap before the election. “We have three years to go. I don’t want to… I have two people that are doing a great job. I don’t want to have an argument with… it wouldn’t be a fight. But look, JD is fantastic, and Marco is fantastic,” he said.
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump says a JD Vance and Marco Rubio ticket would be NEARLY UNSTOPPABLE in the 2028 presidential election
That’s the ticket! 🇺🇸
“I would say one is slightly more diplomatic than the other. I think they’re both a very high intelligence. I mean, they will… pic.twitter.com/aBhNVWcUnu
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 4, 2026
Speculation has grown within Republican circles about whether Vance, a former senator from Ohio, or Rubio, a former Florida senator and 2016 presidential candidate, will run for the nomination. Rubio has not ruled out a bid, but he has praised Vance as a strong potential candidate. Trump suggested that the two men could complement each other on the same ticket, describing them as “both very capable” and noting that “the combination of JD and Marco would be very hard to be beaten.”
In a possible nod to Rubio, Trump highlighted differences in style and diplomacy, saying, “I would say one is slightly more diplomatic than the other. You can see the style yourself. But they’re both very capable.”
Trump also revisited the topic of a potential third term, though he acknowledged its constitutional challenges. When asked whether there was any scenario in which he could still be president in January 2029, he responded, “I don’t know. It would be interesting.”
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The 2028 presidential race is expected to feature a crowded field on both the Republican and Democratic sides, and Trump’s comments signal continued influence over the party while leaving his own plans and endorsements deliberately ambiguous.