‘JD’s our guy’: Trump reportedly praises Vance’s appearance as 2028 succession buzz grows

Speculation over who could lead the Republican Party after Donald Trump has resurfaced following a report claiming the US President has become increasingly supportive of Vice President JD Vance as a potential political successor.

According to a report by MS NOW, Trump has privately shifted from viewing JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as competing contenders for the party’s future leadership to more openly backing Vance.

‘JD’s our guy,’ Trump reportedly tells aides

Citing multiple people familiar with the President’s private conversations, the report claims Trump has recently begun describing Vance as the preferred face of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement moving forward.

One senior administration official was quoted as saying:”It’s become, ‘JD’s our guy, we gotta help JD.'”

The report suggests Trump’s confidence in Vance grew after the Vice President’s recent media appearances while promoting his memoir, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.

Media tour reportedly impressed Trump

According to the report, Vance appeared across a range of television programmes and podcasts, including interviews on ABC’s The View, Bill Maher’s show, Fox News, and a conversation with Megyn Kelly.

During one interview, Vance described internal disagreements within the MAGA movement over Iran policy as “very immature.”

The report claims Trump was pleased with the way Vance handled questions across different platforms, including programmes not traditionally viewed as conservative-friendly.

Trump reportedly praises Vance’s physical transformation

Beyond politics, the report also claims Trump has privately complimented JD Vance’s recent appearance.

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People familiar with the conversations alleged that the President has repeatedly remarked that his Vice President has been “looking good lately.”

The report further links Vance’s weight loss to dietary changes, including a sauerkraut-focused diet that several administration officials—including Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—are also said to be following.

These claims have not been independently verified.

Not all developments have been positive

Despite the reported praise, the relationship has not been without challenges.

According to the report, Trump was disappointed after a proposed US-Iran memorandum—which Vance reportedly helped negotiate—failed to materialise.

The report also claims that some senior White House officials have privately expressed concerns that members of Vance’s team pay excessive attention to online commentary and social media discussions.

White House dismisses succession speculation

The White House has sought to downplay suggestions of an internal succession contest.

A spokesperson described JD Vance as President Trump’s “right-hand man” while highlighting his involvement in major policy initiatives, including negotiations concerning Iran and legislative efforts such as the SAVE America Act.

Meanwhile, Vance has also rejected suggestions of rivalry with Marco Rubio, recently describing the Secretary of State as “probably my best friend in the administration.”

Although no official decision regarding the Republican Party’s 2028 presidential nominee has been made, the latest report has once again fuelled speculation over who could eventually emerge as the standard-bearer of the MAGA movement after Donald Trump.