For months, speculation centered on two of the administration’s biggest political stars: Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Both have earned praise from conservatives, and both have emerged as influential figures inside Trump’s White House.
But sources who spoke anonymously to MS NOW claim the president’s recent comments have become noticeably more focused on Vance.
“It’s become, ‘JD’s our guy, we gotta help JD,’” said one of several sources who spoke to the outlet on condition of anonymity.
Another insider described a similar shift in tone from the president during private conversations.
“There’s been a lot of that,” the person added.
According to the report, one event appears to have elevated Vance even further in Trump’s eyes: the vice president’s nationwide media campaign promoting his memoir, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, which details his 2019 conversion to Catholicism.
Rather than limiting himself to conservative media, Vance appeared before audiences that are often skeptical of the Trump administration, giving him an opportunity to defend White House policies in less friendly environments.
One of the most talked-about appearances came on ABC’s The View, where Vance received an unexpectedly warm reception. During the discussion, co-host Ana Navarro even joked with Joy Behar about her apparent admiration for the vice president.
Vance also accepted an invitation to HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher. After the interview, Maher surprised many political observers by suggesting he could envision supporting Vance during the 2028 presidential election under the right circumstances.
The vice president continued making the rounds with appearances on Fox News and Megyn Kelly’s podcast, where he addressed disagreements inside the MAGA movement over Iran policy, describing some of the internal disputes as “very immature.”
People familiar with Trump’s thinking told MS NOW that Vance’s willingness to appear before both supportive and hostile audiences—and his ability to communicate the administration’s priorities effectively—left a strong impression on the president.
The report also says Trump has noticed Vance’s physical transformation in recent months.
According to two people familiar with the matter, Trump has privately complimented the vice president on his weight loss.
That change has drawn attention elsewhere inside the administration as well.
During an event in Michigan, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said both he and Vance had been following a sauerkraut-focused diet created by physician Dr. Sean O’Mara. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that several administration officials have adopted the same nutrition plan.
Despite the positive momentum surrounding Vance, the report also notes that Trump’s opinions often evolve and that political alliances inside the White House remain fluid.
One source claimed the president was frustrated after a proposed U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding reportedly fell apart earlier this month. According to the report, Vance had helped negotiate the effort alongside Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
The outlet also cited complaints from some senior administration officials regarding what they see as excessive attention paid by Vance’s political team to online criticism.
“Team Vance is extremely self-conscious about what people are saying about him — both here and just randos online — almost to a fault,” one White House official told MS NOW.
Even so, the White House publicly dismissed any suggestion that Vance’s standing inside the administration has weakened.
Olivia Wales, a White House spokeswoman, emphasized the vice president’s central role in advancing the president’s priorities.
She said Vice President JD Vance is President Trump’s “right-hand man” and “an invaluable member” of his national security team.
According to Wales, Trump has entrusted Vance with several major responsibilities, including helping oversee negotiations involving Iran, leading the administration’s anti-fraud task force, and assisting efforts to advance the SAVE America Act.
Whether President Trump has truly decided on a preferred successor remains uncertain.
Some longtime allies of both Vance and Rubio argue that reports of an internal competition have always been exaggerated. They note that Trump has historically encouraged rivalry among ambitious Republicans rather than formally endorsing a political heir years before an election.
Rubio himself has publicly attempted to downplay any potential conflict, saying he would not seek the Republican nomination if Vance chose to run.
Vance has responded in kind, repeatedly describing Rubio as one of his closest friends.
For now, the 2028 Republican primary remains years away, and Trump has made no official endorsement. But if the latest report accurately reflects the president’s current thinking, Vice President JD Vance appears to have strengthened his position as the leading figure many Republicans believe could one day inherit the America First movement.
