By Admin 
The most talked about question in American politics these days is who will replace Donald Trump in 2028. Till a few months ago, this contest was considered to be a close contest between Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump himself was comparing and testing both. But now the situation has changed. According to White House insiders, JD Vance has emerged as Trump’s ‘clear’ successor in 2028. Rubio is almost out of this race. Let us understand how this happened and what are the signs that Vance is now far ahead of Rubio…
There are 7 big signs of JD Vance becoming the clear successor…
1. Trump’s changed tone: the biggest sign
Till the last few months, Trump used to ask his close associates ‘JD or Marco?’ They were comparing the two and wanted to know who was liked more in the party. But now this question is over. According to a senior Trump advisor, ‘POTUS (Trump) is no longer asking ‘JD or Marco?’ They’re now saying, ‘JD looks great, right?’
According to another insider, ‘JD is earning it and Trump is seeing it.’ That means Vance has won Trump’s trust through his hard work and performance, while Rubio has now been left behind.
2. Iran Peace Agreement: Vance’s biggest success
In mid-June 2026, Vance did something that completely changed his image. He, along with Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, brokered a ceasefire agreement with Iran. This was an important step towards ending the Iran war.
This was a big diplomatic moment for Vance. On the same day his new book ‘Communion: Finding My Back to Faith’ was also published. This book achieved bestseller status. Vance’s package peace agreement and bestseller book brought Vance to the national and international spotlight.
3. Media Blitz: 33 interviews and Trump’s eyes
Vance used all his might on the media to promote his book. In June 2026, he gave a total of 33 interviews. From conservative podcasts to White House press briefings and meetings on big channels like HBO and ABC.
Trump watched the clips of all these interviews and he liked what he saw very much. According to an adviser, ‘Trump watched the clips and liked what he saw.’
4. Fundraising Magic: $70 Million
Vance has raised about $ 70 million (about Rs 580 crore) for the Republican National Committee (RNC). This is not a small amount. This creates a strong fundraising network for his 2028 campaign.
According to the Forbes report, Rubio may get the support of Wall Street and party donors, while Vance has deep ties to Silicon Valley. Vance has become close to billionaire donors as the RNC’s finance chairman.
5. Lead in polls: 62% Vance vs. 51% Rubio
According to a poll by Navigator Research in November 2026, Vance’s net favorability within the Republican Party is 62%, which is close to Trump (65%). Whereas Rubio’s favorability is only 51%. Vance is also ahead of other potential Republican candidates in national and early state polls.
Rubio has made it clear that he has no desire to contest the primary in 2028. One Rubio supporter said, ‘Marco doesn’t have pipe hitters (combat level supporters). JD has it. That means Vance has an organized political machine, whereas Rubio does not. According to a White House source, ‘JD looks good and everyone in the administration knows it.’
6. ‘JD is a more likely successor than Rubio’: Book reveals
There is a shocking story in the book ‘Regime Change’ by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. At a dinner on October 16, 2025, Trump asked Rupert Murdoch, ‘Who should I choose between JD and Marco?’
Murdoch called Rubio ‘brilliant’, while said of Vance, ‘He has the potential to be great.’ But the interesting thing is that Murdoch had also personally tried to stop Trump from choosing Vance as his running mate in 2024. Despite this, Vance is in a strong position today. This shows his political shrewdness and coordination with Trump.
7. Elon Musk’s support: ’12 years of Trump-Vance era’
The world’s richest man Elon Musk had said in a private meeting in November 2025, ‘Trump’s last term and Vance’s two terms i.e. 12 years will be a wonderful period.’ This is being considered a big support for Vance.
According to the Independent’s report, Rubio has now faded in the presidential race. Although he remains a close advisor to Trump on matters of national security and foreign policy, he no longer poses a serious challenge in the 2028 race.