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President Donald Trump just won’t tell J.D. Vance what he wants to hear: That the Vice President will be his chosen successor.
Here’s the Wall Street Journal on Trump’s unwillingness to endorse Vance:
At least twice in recent months, President Trump has declined to formally crown Vice President JD Vance as the successor to the MAGA movement.
Instead, Trump is leaving his options open.
On Tuesday, he told reporters Vance is probably the favorite to succeed him, echoing what he has privately told associates. But Trump also talked up another administration official who has emerged as one of his most trusted advisers: Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Behind the scenes, Trump has at times appeared to stoke competition between Vance and Rubio, teasing them about their well-known political ambitions. “Which one of you is going to be at the top of the ticket?” Trump asked the men earlier this year, according to a person with knowledge of the conversation. “I used to think it would be Vance-Rubio, but maybe it will be Rubio-Vance.”
Awkward!
I’ve got 3 reasons for why Trump is reluctant to endorse Vance (or anyone else):
Remember that Trump is, at heart, a reality TV show guy. If he endorsed Vance in August 2025, why would anyone watch future episodes of the 2028 show? He knows that the drama of who he will hand the crown over to is HUGE. And he’s not going to spoil it now. Plus, Trump loves to play his subordinates off against one another. Hell, that was the entire premise of “The Apprentice”!
Don Jr. — aka the eldest boy — is still lurking. While Jr. continues to insist he is all-in for Vance, this is politics. And Don Jr. wants into elected office. Is there going to be a better chance for him than 2028? And, if Don Jr. wants it, is Don Sr. really going to turn away his own flesh and blood?
Don Sr. doesn’t totally want to close the door on the possibility of running himself again in 2028. Sure it’s barred by the Constitution — but what if the people demand more Trump? When Trump is asked about ruling out a third term, he never says “no.” He says he isn’t planning to do it. Or that he could do it but probably won’t. Republicans insist he is joking. But, is he? I don’t think even Trump knows.
What does this all mean? That Vance and Rubio will be forced to continue to battle it out behind the scenes for the big boss’s love. Probably for years. Which is exactly how Trump wants it.
