President Donald Trump first brought up the idea of a 2028 Vance-Rubio ticket privately about six months ago, Vice President JD Vance revealed Wednesday.
Vance said Trump mentioned the ticket idea during a private lunch between the two officials, noting that he has “joked with” Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the concept since his initial lunch with the president. Vance made the comments in an appearance on the “Pod Force One” podcast with Miranda Devine.
Vance’s comments come after Trump seemingly ruled out the notion that he may run for a third term and floated the idea of an “unstoppable” Vance-Rubio ticket this week on his swing through Asia.
“We have JD, obviously, the vice president, who’s great. Marco’s great. I’m not sure if anyone would run against those two. I think if they ever formed a group, it would be unstoppable,” Trump said Monday.
Vance had been aware of the Trump’s succession dream team for several months, he told Devine. He discussed how, nine months into the second Trump presidency, he is still focused on his role as vice president and working on tackling the affordability crisis in America, but added that he has talked with Rubio.
“He mentioned it probably six months or so ago, and I mentioned it to the secretary in jest. But it feels so premature because we’re still so early,” Vance said.
Trump did not specify whether or not he would throw his weight behind Vance or Rubio to be at the top of the ticket. When asked if there would be any tension between the two Trump administration officials, Vance laughed it off and called Rubio his closest friend in the administration.
“There’s not going to be any tension. Marco is my best friend in the administration. He and I work a lot together,” Vance said. “I have never woken up and thought to myself, ‘How do I make myself president of the United States?’ What I wake up and think to myself is, ‘How do I do a good job as vice president?’ And I think Marco Rubio asks himself, ‘How do I do a good job as secretary of state?’”
Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday that he acknowledges the Constitution prohibits him from running for a third term, seemingly ending speculation from his supporters and his sparring with liberal media outlets on the subject.
TRUMP RULES OUT THIRD TERM AFTER DANGLING POSSIBLE 2028 RUN FOR MONTHS
“It’s pretty clear,” Trump said, referring to the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution. “I’m not allowed to run. It’s too bad.”
Vance said he is going to continue his job as vice president over the next three years and “if we get to a point where something else is in the offer, let’s handle it then, but let’s at least get through the next couple of years and do good work for the American people before we talk about politics.”