Overview

• President Trump has publicly identified Marco Rubio and JD Vance as potential Republican candidates for the 2028 presidential election, intensifying speculation about the party's future leadership.
• Rubio currently holds four major roles in the administration, including Secretary of State, acting National Security Adviser, USAID Director, and National Archivist, a workload experts warn is unsustainable.
• Vance, as Vice President, remains a key figure in Trump’s administration and is seen as the most direct heir to Trump’s base and political movement.
• Trump’s endorsement is expected to heavily influence the 2028 GOP primary, though he has yet to commit to backing any individual candidate.
• Some administration officials have floated the possibility of a joint Rubio-Vance ticket, though this remains speculative and unconfirmed.