During a recent address, Donald Trump derided JD Vance as a ‘little boy’ while recounting a dramatic moment when Secret Service agents swiftly evacuated the Vice President during an attempted assassination at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
In an appearance on Monday at the White House Rose Garden, the President lauded his security team for their rapid response in escorting him offstage after a gunman infiltrated the Washington hotel armed with a shotgun.
“Two weeks ago, you did an outstanding job. Do you know why? Because I’m still here,” Trump remarked to the Secret Service. “To us, being present is success, despite what critics might say.”
He added, with a hint of amusement, “If there’s any fault, I’ll be the one to point it out… They were incredibly professional, and within moments, I saw them lift JD by the shoulders, making him look like a little boy,” Trump said, chuckling.
Video clips of the 41-year-old Vance being swiftly lifted by a Secret Service agent, as Trump stayed in his seat, quickly spread across the internet following the incident.
Trump humorously noted, “I wondered, ‘Why didn’t they lift me that quickly?’ Watching JD being whisked away was the highlight of the week.”
Later in his evening address at the White House, Trump polled the audience on his 2028 successor, casting doubt on Vance’s premature candidacy: ‘Is it gonna be JD? Is it gonna be someone else? I don’t know.’
The President then pressed the crowd with questions including, ‘Who likes JD Vance?’ and ‘Who likes Marco Rubio?’
Footage of the 41-year-old Vance being hoisted from his seat by the shoulders by a Secret Service agent, while Trump remained seated, went viral online shortly after the assassination attempt
Donald Trump branded JD Vance a ‘little boy’ as he recalled being shielded by Secret Service during his latest assassination attempt, while openly floating Marco Rubio as his successor in 2028
The President then pressed the crowd with questions including, ‘Who likes JD Vance?’ and ‘Who likes Marco Rubio?’
After both officials received applause from the crowd, Trump replied, ‘Sounds like a good ticket.’
Trump has long floated both Vance and Rubio as his preferred successors when he departs the White House in 2028, though he has yet to say which he would want at the top of the ticket and which as the running mate.
‘By the way, I do believe that’s a dream team, but these are minor details,’ Trump added during his speech.
‘That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance. But you know… I think it sounds like presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate.’
Trump is also known to sporadically poll guests and allies on who they want to succeed him in 2028, using the responses to gauge where the GOP’s loyalties lie.
Vance and Rubio previously served together in the U.S. Senate, and both opposed Trump’s early bid for the presidency in 2016.
Now, the pair are seen as among the most effective members of Trump’s administration entrusted with his most sensitive assignments, including leading diplomatic talks to end the war with Iran.
Despite speculation over their presidential ambitions, Vance and Rubio have publicly downplayed any interest in running the Oval Office.
Rubio did tell reporters last year that he would back Vance if he ran, stating, ‘If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him.’
Prediction markets have Vance and Rubio running nearly neck-and-neck for the next GOP nomination, with Kalshi giving the Vice President a 35% chance and the Secretary of State 31%.
