Trump doubts JD Vance's suitability as successor, report says
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has questioned JD Vance’s suitability as his successor, The New York Times reported on Saturday, citing sources familiar with the matter. According to the report, Trump regularly seeks opinions on both Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In early May, Trump even asked several guests at an event who they thought was the more suitable presidential candidate, though the newspaper reported he has indicated he does not support either. NYT reported that during private polls on Vance and Rubio, Trump frequently compared Vance’s performance to his own achievements. Trump has repeatedly told supporters that Vance has never won a competitive election without his help and has mentioned the number of holidays Vance took while serving as vice president. Meanwhile, Trump is said to rarely take holidays. According to the NYT report, Trump has also highlighted several instances where Vance’s actions were deemed inappropriate for his role, including an incident last spring when Vance dropped a state high school football championship trophy on the South Lawn of the White House. In various meetings, Vance is said to frequently scroll through his phone and use social media to debate critics. The report notes that while Trump is active on Truth Social, he does not spend time responding to other users. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles recently advised Vance to take a break from social media, deeming such debates inappropriate for his position, according to NYT-sourced sources. Nevertheless, close associates of Trump and Vance still believe the vice president is the most suitable successor, the newspaper wrote. The Republican Party must choose a new presidential candidate before the November 2028 election, as Trump cannot run for a third term under the US Constitution. Trump previously stated that the party has several potential candidates to replace him, including JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.