JD Vance Believes Trump Would Endorse Him in Potential 2028 Presidential Run

Senator JD Vance has indicated that he believes former President Donald Trump would endorse him should he decide to run for president in 2028. Vance, however, stressed that he has not yet made a decision about a presidential campaign and has not discussed the possibility with Trump.

During an interview that aired Monday evening, Vance told Mark Halperin, "I think if I run, the president will endorse me." He added that while he anticipates Trump's support, he also recognizes that the former president sometimes prefers to observe how a race develops before offering an endorsement. "You could absolutely see a scenario where the president says, ‘You know what? We need to let this race play out,’ and not like preemptively prejudge the results,” Vance said.

Trump's endorsements have historically carried significant weight in Republican primaries. This was evident in 2022 when Trump endorsed Vance in his successful bid for the Ohio Senate seat. At the time, Vance was trailing in polls, but Trump's late endorsement provided a crucial boost.

Vance has frequently been discussed as a potential successor to Trump's political movement. In a prior interview with former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, Vance remarked on the impact of Trump's endorsement, stating that it could give a candidate a substantial advantage. "Then the primary is over. Of course, I think whoever the president endorses will ultimately win the Republican primary,” Vance told Spicer.

Despite acknowledging Trump's influence in determining the Republican nominee, Vance also emphasized the importance of the general election. "While Donald Trump will ultimately decide who's going to be the Republican nominee, you have a general election, 330 million Americans are going to decide who the president of the United States is,” Vance said.