U.S. Vice President JD Vance joked that Donald Trump is promoting a kind of The Apprentice-style competition between him and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to decide who will become his political successor in 2028.
The statement was made during a press conference after Vance was asked about Trump’s frequent comparisons between the two Republicans.
“It doesn’t seem very presidential to me to hold a televised competition to decide who will be his apprentice,” Vance said sarcastically, referring to the show hosted by Trump in the 2000s.
The vice president also said that the president “just likes to joke around” about the situation and denied any serious rivalry at the moment, while emphasizing that he considers Rubio “a very dear friend.”
This week, Trump fueled speculation about the Republican succession by publicly asking supporters who they would prefer as his political heir: Vance or Rubio. The president even described a possible “Vance-Rubio” ticket as a “dream team,” although he avoided formally endorsing either name.
Despite the relaxed tone, the topic has been gaining traction behind the scenes among Republicans. Rubio has received growing attention after high-profile public appearances related to foreign policy, while Vance continues to be viewed by many Trump allies as the natural heir to the MAGA movement.
The movement is taking place even though there are still more than two years before the official start of the 2028 presidential race, but it already highlights the quiet struggle for influence within the Republican Party after the Trump administration.
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