JD Vance Responds to Potential ‘Tension’ with Marco Rubio over 2028 Presidential Race

“Pod Force One” host Miranda Devine asked Vice President J.D. Vance on a Wednesday episode whether there would be conflict between him and Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding who would lead a potential 2028 Republican presidential ticket.

President Donald Trump ruled out running for a third term on Wednesday and has repeatedly touted Vance and Rubio as potential 2028 contenders. Vance told Devine on the podcast that there would be no issues with Rubio, citing their close relationship.

“The president doesn’t mention who will be running for president and who [for] vice president,” Devine said. “Now, everyone assumes it would be you, but Marco Rubio is 13 years older. He’s run for president before. Would there be any tension there?”

Vance laughed when Devine said Trump does not specify who would lead the ticket.

“There’s not going to be any tension. Marco is my best friend in the administration. He and I work a lot together… I think a lot of the good work that we’ve been able to do as an administration is because we’re all able to work together,” the vice president said. “And again, this is why I say worrying too much about the politics actually, I think, makes you worse at the job that you have.”

“I never want to wake up — and so far I’ve 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?’ And that should be the question that each of us keeps on asking ourselves,” he added.

Vance appears well-positioned to obtain the 2028 nomination, CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten asserted in August, noting his substantial lead in early polling and the historic success of sitting vice presidents when seeking their party’s nomination.

Many notable figures have also predicted Vance would lead the 2028 ticket, including Democratic strategist James Carville, Daily Caller News Foundation co-founder Tucker Carlson, and Republican strategist Scott Jennings.

Political analyst Mark Halperin also predicted in May that Vance and Rubio would be on the ticket, but he did not clarify who would lead it.

Moreover, Rubio himself said on Fox News’ “My View with Lara Trump” in July that “J.D. Vance would be a great nominee” if he were to seek the presidency.

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