Trump Still Weighing Vance or Rubio in 2028

Wall Street Journal: “The 2028 election is more than 2½ years away, but it is very much on Trump’s mind, as he casts about for a suitable heir to his MAGA empire. For months, the president has privately polled advisers, donors and friends about the political strengths and weaknesses of his vice president and secretary of state, pitting the two young, ambitious Republicans against each other—whether they like it or not.”

“Increasingly, Trump has shown fondness for Rubio, according to people who have spoken to the president, praising him in private and telling associates that he thinks the former Florida senator is electable. Trump’s second-term fixation on foreign policy has put Rubio, at the center of the administration’s most high-profile moves, and the president often turns to Rubio for advice, the people said.”

“Trump’s ultimate decision—advisers say he hasn’t yet made up his mind—will have monumental implications for the Republican Party, giving his chosen favorite the imprimatur of a president who remains deeply popular among conservatives. It will also define the conservative movement for a generation, elevating either the populist anti-interventionist ideas of Vance or the more hawkish foreign policy vision of Rubio.”