Trump signals surprising approach to choosing his successor as GOP’s 2028 field grows

President Donald Trump says he may choose not to endorse a candidate in the Republican presidential primary for 2028, leaving the party’s next nominee to emerge from a competitive field. His comments come as Republicans look to recover from losing control of both the House and Senate in the midterm elections, and debate the party’s direction after Trump.

Vice-President JD Vance is widely seen as an early frontrunner and leads some initial polls, but the midterm losses may make the contest less certain. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has rejected questions about a 2028 campaign and has said he would support Vance; Senator Ted Cruz and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are also among those drawing attention. An Iowa-based Republican strategist expects candidates to test their messages with voters in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.