President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as his preferred Republican ticket for the 2028 presidential election, calling the pairing “unbeatable.”
During a recent interview, Trump discussed his vision for the party’s future leadership after his second term concludes. The president has previously hinted at potential successors but has now offered his most direct backing of a specific two-person team.
A Calculated Endorsement
In his conversation with media personality Miranda Devine, Trump explained his reasoning behind the endorsement. “I watch them together. They get along great. They have a good relationship,” Trump said, adding that both men are talented and complementary to each other.
Trump emphasized the chemistry he’s observed between his top officials. “I think the two of them running together as a team would be very unbeatable,” he stated, noting that defeating such a combination would be virtually impossible.
Youth and Political Advantage
The president highlighted the age difference between Vance, 41, and Rubio, 55, as a significant strategic asset for future Republican campaigns. This generational diversity, Trump suggested, would strengthen their appeal to voters.
Speaking with reporters on board Air Force One en route to Japan on Monday, President Trump again refused to rule out a bid for a third presidential term, despite the 22nd Amendment limiting presidents to being elected twice.
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— ABC News (@ABC) October 27, 2025
Trump also seized the opportunity to contrast Republican bench strength with Democratic options. “When you compare that to these low IQ people that we have on the other side,” he told Devine, the Republican depth becomes even more apparent.
Timeline and Conditions
While expressing enthusiasm for the potential ticket, Trump acknowledged several practical considerations. “They have to agree to it. We still have more than two and a half years,” he noted, suggesting the timeline remains flexible.
Trump has consistently advocated for this pairing since October, when he told reporters that few would challenge a Vance-Rubio combination. His latest comments represent a continued push toward positioning both men as his preferred successors.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Staff contributed to this report.