President Donald Trump’s 2028 succession contest is starting to look less like a personality pageant and more like an infrastructure race. Axios reported that Vice President JD Vance has emerged as Trump’s favored heir “for now,” citing a summer in which the vice president expanded his media footprint, helped lead a $70 million fundraising effort for the Republican National Committee, and took on a visible role in Iran diplomacy.
The report said Trump has grown warmer toward Vance as Secretary of State Rubio has shown fewer signs of building a presidential campaign operation.
Axios added that Vance conducted 33 interviews across media platforms, co-negotiated a preliminary Iran agreement alongside Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, and helped drive a $70 million RNC fundraising push.
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READ: The Battle For Trump’s Heir: Vance Vs. Rubio
AP reported last week that Iran has become one of the clearest dividing lines between the two men’s 2028 profiles. Vance has been more closely associated with direct diplomatic engagement, while Rubio has been more cautious and more aligned with traditional Republican foreign-policy instincts. It also reported that Rubio declined to lead Iran ceasefire talks, leaving Vance with a larger role in efforts involving Pakistan and Switzerland.
It was already reported in August 2025 that Trump called Vance “most likely” his heir apparent, but also raised the idea of a future Republican ticket pairing Vance with Rubio.
Trump has continued to encourage the rivalry without fully closing it. Time reported in June 2026 that he again floated a Vance-Rubio, or possibly Rubio-Vance, ticket.
That ambiguity is politically useful. A controlled rivalry keeps Vance and Rubio competing for his approval while letting Trump remain the central broker of the Republican future.
Polling and market signals have been mixed, which is why the “for now” matters. Emerson College’s May 2026 national poll found Trump at 39% approval and 55% disapproval, a reminder that the Republican nominee will inherit not only Trump’s base but also his liabilities. Other early indicators have shown Rubio gaining interest at times, including a reported AtlasIntel poll that put Rubio ahead of Vance among GOP voters, though early 2028 polling remains volatile and should not be treated as predictive.
