Overview
- Axios reports the president has been informally asking advisers whether Vice President JD Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio should top the GOP ticket in 2028.
- Sources say Trump continues to favor Vance, with one adviser calling a Vance–Rubio pairing his “dream ticket” and specifying Vance in the top slot.
- Rubio’s visibility has surged through his roles as secretary of state and national security adviser, drawing notable public praise from Trump after high‑profile appearances such as Munich.
- Both camps downplay any rivalry, with Rubio saying he would support Vance if he runs and Vance describing Rubio as his closest friend in the administration.
- Vance is set to increase his profile as RNC finance chair with planned travel before November, while new Pew polling cited in coverage shows strong favorability among Republican‑leaning voters for Vance (about 75%) and Rubio (about 64%).