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Donald Trump addresses 2028 election as he makes surprising admission about JD Vance's chances of becoming president
President Donald Trump has addressed the 2028 presidential election, making a surprising admission that Vice President JD Vance may not run for the White House.
During an interview with reporters on November 4, the 80-year-old was questioned about the crushing midterm election defeat that saw Republicans lose control of both chambers of Congress.
At one point, Trump was asked whether he had discussed a potential 2028 presidential campaign with Vance. His response suggested that his VP's political future remains uncertain.
"I speak to him about a lot of things, but I mean, we'll see what happens," he said. "Everybody, you don't know who's talking about running. You can have people running. You can have a lot of people, maybe a lot of people running, maybe nobody's gonna run...
"Maybe he won't run, I don't know who's gonna run," he added.
The comments came just hours after Vance published a lengthy statement on X, outlining four major reasons he believes contributed to the Republicans' devastating losses in the November 3 elections.
Vance has previously acknowledged that he might choose not to seek the Republican nomination in 2028.
"Of course there's a chance," he said during a CBS News town hall on October 18 when asked whether he might sit out the race.
He expressed similar uncertainty during an interview with 2WAY's Mark Halperin aboard Air Force Two on October 19.
"I really have not made up my mind about what to do in 2028," Vance admitted.
JD Vance blames Iran war for Republicans' crushing midterm defeat
The Democrats' victories in both the Senate and the House of Representatives dealt Trump a major political setback, putting the opposition party on course to control Congress for the final two years of his presidency, beginning in January 2027.
In the Senate, the party picked up a string of victories in traditionally Republican states such as Texas, Ohio, and Kansas - the latter of which has not elected a Democrat in almost 100 years.
Vance pointed to the Trump administration's ongoing war with Iran as the primary reason Republicans lost control of Congress.
"The reason we lost is the war," he wrote. "The president himself said so last night."
He said he had discussed Republicans' loss of Congress with political pollsters who suggested that the problem was not that Republicans failed to show up.
"The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026," Vance said.
According to Vance, polling identified four key concerns among Republican voters: ending the Iran war, tackling the cost of living and inflation, putting America first, and changing the United States' relationship with Israel, which receives billions of dollars in annual US aid.
"Our voters showed up. And the above four reasons are why many of them voted for Democrats. This is according to a pollster who nailed the results," he penned.
Returning to the war in Iran, Vance challenged those who believed the conflict had been worth the political consequences.
"If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next six years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that's at least honest," he said.
"But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there."
He urged Republicans to channel their anger into rebuilding the party and "get back to the work of saving our country".
Donald Trump responds to Vance's criticism
President Trump responded to Vance's statement on Wednesday, saying it was "largely true," but added that the Iran war was necessary.
"I can tell you that as far as that war is concerned, I would have done nothing different," the president said.
Asked whether he agreed with Vance's analysis, the president noted that the conflict had pushed gasoline prices higher.
"I think it's largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit, short term..." the POTUS added.
Though widely seen as a potential front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, Vance has repeatedly avoided committing to a campaign.
In the weeks leading up to the midterms, he said his priority was helping Republican candidates retain control of Congress rather than planning his own political future.
However, during his October 19 interview with Halperin, Vance expressed confidence that Trump would support him if he ultimately decided to run.
"Look, I think if I run, the president will endorse me, sure," he said.
He also noted that he had not raised the subject with the president: "But I also haven't talked to him about it."
His comments prompted reporters to raise the subject with Trump during an Oval Office event on October 20, with Vance standing nearby.
Asked whether he would endorse his vice president in 2028, Trump refused to elaborate, insisting it was too early to discuss the next presidential election.
"I don't think we've ever talked about it. You know, who would believe that?" Trump said.
He also praised Vance, describing him as "a very talented person" and "a very good person," while stressing that the administration needed to focus on the approaching midterms.