Foreign media and White House insiders say internal sentiment has moved toward
Vance as Trump's preferred potential 2028 successor. Trump has stopped asking
aides to choose between Vance and Rubio and now publicly praises Vance; his
standing rose after helping secure a memorandum of understanding with Iran, and
recent TV appearances, polling and diplomatic activity make him, at least for
now, the clearest heir apparent. A senior Trump adviser said Rubio, once
considered a potential successor, never planned to run and is now less likely to
enter the 2028 race.
