Vice President JD Vance said he’s focused on his White House duties and “trying to do a good job for the American people,” brushing aside speculation about a 2028 presidential run during an interview appearance on NBC News’ Meet the Press that aired Sunday.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump, just over eight months into his second term, is barred by the U.S. Constitution from seeking a third, despite some supporters floating the idea. Vance is seen by many as the leading contender for the top of the Republican ticket in 2028, however he has not publicly stated his intention to run.
Billionaire Elon Musk, who has backed away from plans to launch the third-party “America Party,” is now considering supporting Vance if he runs for president in 2028, according to The Wall Street Journal. Vance, however, has called the report “completely fake,” and said he has not discussed the matter with him. Musk responded to the report on Wednesday, writing on X, “Nothing @WSJ says should ever be thought of as true.”
American politics is heating up as Democrats and Republicans battle over congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with both parties seeking to either reclaim or maintain control of the U.S. House and Senate.
What To Know
In a Sunday interview, Meet the Press host Kristen Welker asked Vance if he sees himself “as the apparent future of the [Make America Great Again] MAGA movement?”
The vice president replied, “No,” adding, “I see myself as a vice president who’s trying to do a good job for the American people. And if I do a good job, and if the president continues to be successful, as I know that he will be, the politics will take care of itself. We can cross that bridge when we come to it.”
He emphasized that, like many Americans, he’s “sick of talking about politics after a big general election,” and emphasized the next election to be concerned with is the midterms, not the presidential.
“So, before we talk about anything three-and-a-half-years down the road, let’s take a break from politics, focus on governing the country. And when we return to politics, it’s going to be to focus on those midterm elections,” Vance said.
Welker then pressed him if he has spoken with Trump about “passing the torch” on, with Vance stating, “The president talks about everything. And if it’s in the news, the president and I have certainly discussed it.”
Earlier this month, Trump said Vance is likely “favored” for the post at this point, while also noting that Secretary of State “Marco [Rubio] is also somebody that maybe would get together with JD in some form.”
Vance again pushed away from declaring anything about a potential candidacy or the election as a whole, saying, “I think the president is just focused on doing a good job for the American people. He wants me to be focused on doing a good job for the American people. That’s what I’ll keep on doing.”
What People Are Saying
Vice President JD Vance, responding to President Donald Trump’s comments in August: “My view on the politics of 2028 is I’m not really focused even on the election in 2026, much less one two years after that. And if we do a good job for the American people, the politics will take care of itself.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to Fox News about Vance potentially running in 2028: “I think he’s doing a great job as vice president. He’s a close friend, and I hope he intends to do it, but I know it’s kind of early.”
Columbia University professor Robert Y. Shapiro previously told Newsweek: “It is of course much too early to tell anything significant from this other than the 2028 election is likely to be close just like the last presidential elections. See the high percent undecided as well.”
What Happens Next?
Candidates don’t normally announce their run this early, but attention is already turning to potential contenders, including Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, as tensions with the Trump administration persist.
The post JD Vance Gives Update on Potential Presidential Run appeared first on Newsweek.
