JD Vance Says He Has Yet to Decide on 2028 Presidential Run
United States Vice President JD Vance has said he has not decided whether to run for president in 2028, acknowledging he could ultimately opt out of the Vance 2028 presidential run despite being widely viewed as a leading contender to succeed President Donald Trump.
Asked by CBS News’ Tony Dokoupil during an hour-long town hall in Michigan, released Saturday night, whether he might not run, Vance replied: “Of course there’s a chance.”
He described himself as a procrastinator when facing major life decisions and said he would “have to think about it,” citing his four young children and his wife, Usha Vance, who “has never loved politics” but “loves public service.”
Trump has called Vance his “most likely” Republican successor.
The town hall setting
The town hall, “Things That Matter: A Town Hall With Vice President JD Vance,” aired Saturday evening with CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil. Vance took questions from voters in Michigan, a swing state that helped propel Trump and Vance to victory in 2024 and is now hosting a tight Senate race that could help determine which party wins control of the upper chamber in next month’s midterm elections.
The Washington Examiner reported that Vance indicated he would make a decision on 2028 after the midterm elections, once the political picture for both parties becomes clearer.
The Vance 2028 presidential run: what else he said
Vance also defended the administration’s economic and foreign policies, blaming former President Joe Biden’s administration for neglecting manufacturing while acknowledging that reversing its decline would take time.
On the Iran conflict and high fuel costs, he said: “I recognise that gas prices are too high right now,” adding: “When this conflict is over, we are going to see gas prices come down.”
Defending Trump’s Iran strategy, Vance argued that the US had “in some ways … won decisively,” but added that “the enemy gets a vote here.” He said Washington was seeking a “final firm commitment from the Iranians that they’re not going to rebuild their nuclear program.”
Vance also rejected allegations of presidential corruption, saying he had not seen “a single shred of evidence that (Trump) participates or sanctions in that corruption.”
Why it matters beyond America
A Vance decision shapes more than US politics. His remarks on Iran and fuel costs point directly at the conflict that has already rattled energy markets Pakistan depends on. Iran’s offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within days of a deal with Washington, reported earlier this week, shows how quickly the oil-price outlook could change if diplomacy moves — and how much hangs on who leads US policy after Trump.
For now, the most likely Republican successor says he has not made up his mind. In a town hall built around things that matter to Michigan voters, Vance made clear that 2028 is one decision he is in no hurry to take.
FAQ
What did JD Vance say about running in 2028?
Vance said he has not decided whether to run for president in 2028, telling CBS News’ Tony Dokoupil there is “of course” a chance he will not seek the Republican nomination.
When will Vance decide?
According to the Washington Examiner, Vance indicated he would make a decision after next month’s midterm elections.
Who else is seen as a 2028 contender?
Vance is widely viewed as an early Republican frontrunner. Other names floated include Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the Republican side, and Democrats such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris.
What did Vance say about Iran and gas prices?
He acknowledged gas prices are too high and said they would come down when the Iran conflict ends, while defending the administration’s strategy of seeking a firm Iranian commitment not to rebuild its nuclear programme.
