Trump’s answer to Pete Hegseth 2028 question will not make JD Vance happy

Trump’s answer to Pete Hegseth 2028 question will not make JD Vance happy Trump says ‘a lot of people’ considering 2028 runs, and indicates no favorites as Vance remains the presumed successor in all but name - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Donald Trump was asked by a reporter about rumors that his secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, may run for president in 2028 on Monday and gave a response that probably won’t be well-received by supporters of his assumed successor, J.D. Vance. The vice president remains the most likely Republican to win Trump’s support for a presidential run in 2028, given his position and the groundswell of support for Vance that has followed Trump’s no. 2 ever since he joined the ticket in 2024. But on Monday the president indicated that he didn’t have a favorite in the race for taking over the Maga mantle, and said there were many who could do it. “I bet there’s a lot of people considering it, that you don’t know about,” said the president. Of the Defense secretary, he added: “I think he’s doing a fantastic job, but it’s very early to talk about that.” Vance won straw polls for the 2028 nomination at both the 2025 and 2026 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) gatherings, hosted by the pro-Trump Matt and Mercedes Schlapp. He also consistently leads polling of the prospective GOP field, only occasionaly being overtaken by another potential rival within the president’s Cabinet, Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Both men have taken on active, public-facing roles within the second Trump administration and have competed at times for the second-act spotlight. Rubio, the president’s chief diplomat, took over the role of acting national security adviser after his predecessor, Mike Waltz, was moved to a role as U.N. ambassador. Trump is often asked about his favored successor and has publicly kept his own thoughts about who should take over the Republican ticket vague. But privately, the Washington Post reported in early August that Trump favors both Vance and Rubio, and even told a group of donors “we need to elect J.D.” at a recent gathering, though the exact context of those remarks were unclear. The Post also reported that Trump polled staffers aboard Marine One in July to gauge who they favored for the 2028 nomination, with Vance and Rubio as the only options. He’s also reportedly suggested the two pair up as running mates, with no clear favorite for who should come out on top. Monday’s comments seem to suggest that Trump is casting his net even wider as he looks for a Republican capable of keeping the White House in GOP hands and pushing ahead with a version of his doctrine. While his pick for 2028 remains an open question, his continued fixation on control of the Republican Party is not. This cycle, the president has continued to endorse in key races to ensure his loyalists remain on the upswing within the party. Most recently, he backed the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, Darline Graham Nordone, for the primary election in South Carolina to serve for the upcoming term against a key ally of his onetime foe Nikki Haley and the House Freedom Caucus, Rep. Ralph Norman. This is a breaking news report. More to follow... Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments