24 Jul 20264,199
President Trump has a luxury problem on his hands: Does he choose Vice President JD Vance as his successor or Secretary of State Marco Rubio? Both are remarkably gifted politicians. Both are trusted and well-liked by Trump’s MAGA base. Both are more than capable of defeating whichever loser the Democrats sacrifice in 2028.
What to do?
What to do?
Well, for now at least, according to
this report from MS Now, Trump sees Vance as his chosen and likely successor.
“For months, Trump treated Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as something like rival contestants, polling aides and donors on the two men and floating each as a possible heir without tipping his hand,” reads the report. “In recent weeks, that has stopped, according to five people familiar with the president’s running commentary on the race to succeed him in 2028.”
The apparent tipping point was Vance’s successful book tour, where he walked out of interviews smelling like a rose after parrying with the harridans on The View, with Bill Maher, Megyn Kelly, and various Fox News hosts.
Trump is also reportedly happy about Vance’s recent weight loss and his work leading the antifraud task force.
This paragraph, though, makes the most sense to me:
Whether Trump was ever really weighing Vance against Rubio is itself contested. Camps for both men have insisted that any rivalry between the two has been overblown and that Trump has historically enjoyed keeping potential successors competing for his favor rather than settling on one.
A good manager, and Trump is obviously one, knows how to create a productive (rather than toxic) climate of competition to get the best out of people.
And let’s not forget that Rubio has already stated and restated that if Vance chooses to run in 2028, he won’t challenge him.
Rubio is young enough (55) and talented enough to make an excellent vice president for Vance before running for president himself at a relatively young 65.
But let’s face it, both men are made of presidential timbre. Both are superbly gifted politicians. Both dwarf anyone currently huddled on the Democrat Party bench. Kamala? Gavin? Pete? AOC? Whatever.
The thing is that no matter whether it’s Rubio or Vance, Trump will still rule the MAGA roost. That might sound like a bad thing, but it’s not. He is the force that holds that base of support together, and that base is what has won two presidential elections — some people might say three.
Finally, Rubio and Vance seem to genuinely like one another. Granted, you never know about these things. After all, everyone said Barry Obama and Hillary Clinton liked one another when we all knew they didn’t. Still, the public has an instinct for these things, and JD and Marco both seem secure enough in who they are not to let political aspirations get in the way of a genuine and mutual respect. Besides, they can help one another reach those aspirations. Honestly, if they don’t allow pettiness and jealousy to sour their friendship, this could be remembered as one of history’s great and effective political partnerships.
