Is J.D. Vance Donald Trump’s successor, whether as president or as the Republican candidate in 2028? When he was chosen as Trump’s running mate, and the ticket was elected, that was the general assumption. However, in his Super Bowl interview in early February, Trump answered “no” when he was asked if he views the vice president as his successor.
Trump, in the interview, went on to praise Vance and declare that “it’s too early” for such speculation. But the answer raised lots of questions, especially about what actually will happen on the GOP side as the 2028 primaries approach.
Vance, in an interview this week with the Daily Mail, addressed that answer.
More of my exclusive interview with VP Vance is here: https://t.co/UT0Yw2uxdL
— Rob Crilly (@robcrilly) February 25, 2025
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“‘I think he said exactly what he should have said, which is: ‘It’s too early,’ Vance told the Daily Mail, adding that he’s more concerned with “the American people’s business.”
“‘There will be a time to focus on politics, of course — [like] the midterms — so let’s do a good job and then worry about the midterms,” Vance added in the interview. “And then we’ll worry about presidential politics at the appropriate time.”
Vance emerged victorious in the CPAC straw poll over the weekend, which showed who conservative activists in attendance saw as their choice for president in 2028. Vance got 61 percent of the vote in the CPAC poll, therefore becoming the first person other than Trump to win the straw poll since 2016 when Ted Cruz won it during that year’s primaries. Another CPAC poll, meanwhile, found that Trump enjoyed 99 percent approval among CPAC attendees, with 95 percent saying that they “strongly” approve of him.
There is one possible scenario that has to have Republicans worried. Trump has hinted, very often, that he would like to find a way to remain in office beyond his second term. That is not constitutionally permissible, but it’s not hard to imagine Trump continuing to hint, well into his term, that he wants to try to remain in office, therefore preventing Vance and other potential 2028 candidates from fundraising or otherwise getting 2028 campaigns off the ground:
Donald Trump: “Should I run again? You tell me. There’s your controversy right there.”
(This is at least the fourth time since the election that Trump has publicly floated the unconstitutional idea of a third term.)pic.twitter.com/vbjEP6mqcZ
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) February 20, 2025
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
