JD Vance wants everyone to know he isn't obsessing over the 2028 presidential race. At least, not yet.
The Vice President sat down with CBS Sunday Morning on June 14 to talk about his upcoming memoir, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith. Naturally, the conversation veered away from Catholicism and straight into the future of the Republican party. Everyone expects Vance to jump into the 2028 primary the second Donald Trump leaves office. But Vance claims he hasn't even had the official talk with his wife, Usha, yet.
He says those conversations won't happen until the 2026 midterm elections are over.
"The way I make decisions is, I try not to make them until I absolutely must," Vance said during the interview, which was filmed at the vice presidential residence. It's a classic political stall tactic, but it makes complete sense when you look at what's on his plate right now.
The July Due Date and the Midterm Gauntlet
Vance isn't just juggling public policy. His family is about to expand. Usha Vance is due to give birth to their fourth child this July. That alone is enough to put a major presidential campaign strategy on the back burner.
Then you have the 2026 midterms. The Trump administration is facing a brutal political cycle. Trump's approval ratings are shaky, and national Democrats are aggressively targeting the Senate. Vance is actively out on the trail, recently dealing with fallout from a voting system dispute in California and pushing administration goals like a rumored long-term peace deal with Iran.
If Republicans get crushed in November, Vance's position as the heir apparent to the MAGA movement looks a lot less secure. He needs a strong midterm showing to validate his leadership. Spending his energy planning a personal promotional tour for 2028 right now would look selfish to voters and, more importantly, to his boss.
What Trump Really Thinks About a Vance Campaign
Vance insists he never brings up 2028 when he's talking to Trump. He doesn't have to.
"The president brings it up a lot, sometimes publicly, sometimes privately," Vance admitted. "You know, the president's a political animal. He loves this stuff."
According to Vance, Trump isn't explicitly pushing him to run, nor is he discouraging him. The conversations are more about overall strategy—how the party stays successful and what the future of the movement looks like. Vance says he has "no doubt" that Trump will be completely supportive of whatever he decides.
But history shows that Trump's blessing is never a guarantee, especially if other loyalists enter the chat.
The Crowded 2028 Field is Already Forming
Vance might be the sitting Vice President, but he won't get a free pass to the nomination. The Republican party has plenty of ambitious players waiting for Trump to step aside.
- Marco Rubio: The current Secretary of State has presidential run experience and massive appeal with moderate and establishment Republicans.
- Pete Hegseth: The Secretary of Defense holds immense popularity with the grassroots MAGA base.
- Donald Trump Jr.: Reports indicate Trump's eldest son is eyeing higher office, and his connection to the family name is an instant wildcard.
- The Senate Firebrands: Senators like Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley haven't hidden their higher ambitions either.
Vance thinks focusing on 2028 right now would make him a worse Vice President. He's right. If he looks like he's auditioning for his next job instead of doing his current one, rivals will use it against him.
Your Next Steps to Follow the 2028 Race
Don't buy into early campaign hype just yet. If you want to know if Vance is actually going to run, keep your eyes on these specific indicators over the next few months:
- Watch the Ohio and California midterm outcomes. Vance is heavily invested in these states. If his backed candidates win, his stock rises.
- Track his book tour for Communion. Vice presidents don't write memoirs about their personal faith journeys just for fun. Look at where he schedules his book signings. If he spends an unusual amount of time in Iowa, New Hampshire, or South Carolina, he's quietly building a ground game.
- Monitor Donald Trump Jr.'s public statements. If the president's son starts distancing himself from a future run, it clears a massive hurdle for Vance.
