Trump says Vance is his heir apparent - report

U.S. President Donald Trump has privately told donors he wants Vice President JD Vance to win the 2028 presidential election, signaling openness to endorsing him, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

“At the end of the day, we need to elect JD,” Trump said.

The report said that the comment differed from Trump's public stance over the past year, during which he encouraged competition between Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

He has praised both, suggested they could run together, and declined to name a preferred successor.

One adviser said that Trump would still like Rubio on a joint ticket with Vance and frequently praises the secretary of state, though it remains unclear whether Rubio would accept the role of Vance's running mate.