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United States President Donald Trump shrugged off a report that he privately told key allies they "need to elect" Vice President JD Vance in 2028, saying it is too early to get involved in the next Republican primary, according to a report by Daily Mail on Friday.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that Trump told donors during a recent Oval Office meeting that "at the end of the day, we need to elect JD," citing two people familiar with the remarks.
The report said Trump has also been asking people around him about the strengths and weaknesses of both Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also seen as a possible contender in 2028.
Asked in the Oval Office on Thursday whether the report amounted to an official endorsement of Vance, Trump did not deny the remarks but pushed back on the idea that he had made a decision.
"No. No. It's, uh, I heard about it a little while ago," Trump said. "I think he's great, but we're way too early to even be thinking about that. Okay?"
According to The Washington Post, Trump's comment to donors differed from his public stance over the past year, during which he has encouraged competition between Vance and Rubio.
Trump has praised both men, suggested they could run together and declined to name a preferred successor.
Despite expressing support for Vance to donors, Trump has continued asking advisers to compare Vance and Rubio, the report said.
One White House official told The Post that Trump questioned staff about the two during a Marine One flight late last month.
One adviser said Trump had privately decided Vance should lead the Republican Party after him, but said it was "too early" to determine when Vance would announce a candidacy or when Trump would publicly endorse him.
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Six other Trump allies and advisers told The Washington Post they were not convinced Trump had settled on Vance, noting that he often tells different people different things and could still change his mind.
"Anyone assuming it's a lock is just getting way ahead of themselves, or just doesn't know the president very well," one official said.
Vance has not announced his plans.
People who have spoken with him told The Post that he had not yet decided, while one person close to him said he planned to wait until after the birth of his fourth child, who was born July 19.
One adviser said Trump would still like Rubio on a joint ticket with Vance and frequently praises the secretary of state, though it remains unclear whether Rubio would accept the role of Vance's running mate.
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