Trump also addressed the idea of the two appearing on the same ticket, saying he believes such a pairing would be highly competitive. “I do think this: The combination of JD and Marco would be very hard to be beaten,” he said.
The comments build on previous remarks Trump has made about potential future leadership within the party. During an October interview aboard Air Force One, he described a Vance-Rubio ticket as “unstoppable,” and in a May 2025 appearance on Meet the Press, he referred to Vance as “fantastic” and “brilliant,” while emphasizing that it was still too early to name a successor.
Rubio has previously expressed support for Vance as a potential nominee, saying last year that Vance would be a strong choice if he chose to pursue the presidency. Rubio, who ran for the Republican nomination in 2016, has since downplayed the likelihood of another presidential bid in the near future.
Trump has consistently avoided naming a clear successor, reiterating that decisions about future leadership will depend on timing and circumstances closer to the 2028 election cycle.