JD Vance said he and Marco Rubio are focused on "the American people's business right now," brushing aside questions about a possible 2028 Republican ticket after Donald Trump praised them as a "dream team."
Trump raised the idea on Monday, telling supporters "Who likes J.D. Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?" but did not say which of the two would lead the ticket.
Vance said he least likes discussing a race "two and a half years down the road," arguing voters would resent someone "barely" 1 1/2 years into office angling for the next job.
He also rejected the idea of an open succession contest, saying it would not be like a president to stage a televised competition over who succeeds him, and cast Trump's remarks as political joking.
The exchange came as Vance led a White House fraud-crackdown event while Trump and Rubio were in China for a high-stakes U.S.-China summit.
How will the US-China summit on tech influence Vance's strategy for securing America's critical mineral supply chains?
What leverage does China hold over the US in the Beijing summit regarding the Iran war and global trade?
Beyond recovering funds, how will the new anti-fraud task force impact public access to federal housing and medical benefits?