Former President Donald Trump has employed an unconventional strategy to assess the popularity of his potential successors for the 2028 presidential race—Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During a gathering at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump sought opinions from a group of donors about these two prominent figures, following his recent declaration of conflict with Iran. This wasn’t Trump’s first instance of consulting his close circle in such a manner. “What are your thoughts on JD Vance and Marco Rubio?” he inquired during his address, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal.

As the guests indulged in lavish dishes of jumbo crab and rib-eye steaks, Rubio received a particularly warm reception, with applause surpassing that for Vance. Both Vance, 41, and Rubio, 54, are former senators with unique followings based on regional preferences, placing them at the center of Trump’s 2028 considerations. Despite this, Vance currently leads early polls as the favored Republican nominee, according to an exclusive survey by the Daily Mail and JL Partners. In this poll, 19% of respondents viewed Vance as the most pivotal member of Trump’s team, while Rubio followed with 12%. Vance’s appeal lies in his midwestern demeanor, Appalachian background, and his blend of Ivy League and Silicon Valley credentials, earning him admiration from figures like Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, and GOP donor Jeff Yass.

On the other hand, Rubio’s mastery of Spanish and his engagement in significant international matters have established him as a competent diplomat. As the son of Cuban immigrants, he resonates with a broad audience, bolstered by his viral meme presence and a memorable rendition of Pitbull’s “Fireball.” Trump’s focus on his 2028 successor has inevitably set up a friendly rivalry between Vance and Rubio, despite Vance’s claims of a close friendship with Rubio within the administration. Notably, Trump mentioned that Vance was “less enthusiastic” about the conflict with Iran, highlighting a philosophical divergence between them. Last month, Donald Trump Jr. alerted the public to what he described as a blatant social media smear campaign aimed at Vance, calling it one of the most conspicuous in the platform’s history.

Meanwhile, the President has repeatedly said that Marco Rubio will be known as the greatest diplomat in US history. And Rubio has been front and center in much of the coverage of Iran. ‘Marco is going to go down, I think, as the best secretary of state in history. That’s my opinion. Now, I’m a little prejudiced because I like him,’ Trump said over the weekend. Though Trump has said Vance will ‘likely’ be the heir apparent to the Republican empire, the President has propped up Rubio recently. Trump has also mentioned that the two Republicans should team up. ‘I think Marco is also somebody that maybe would get together with JD in some form,’ the President said last year. At a recent Board of Peace event, Trump noted the difference in approach between the Vice President and the Secretary of State.

‘He gets a little bit tough on occasion; we gotta slow him down on occasion,’ Trump said of the VP. ‘Then we have the opposite extreme,’ the President pivoted. ‘Marco does it with a velvet glove. But it’s a kill.’ The Secretary’s diplomatic approach extends to his potential 2028 primary opponent. ‘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,’ Rubio told Vanity Fair last year. Vance still holds the most sway over the president, the latest Daily Mail/JL Partners poll over registered voters taken this month found. The poll of 1,020 registered voters was conducted between March 2 and March 3 with a 3.1 percent margin of error.

Nineteen percent of respondents said the Vice President is the most influential member of Trump’s inner circle. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was second with 12 percent, followed by Donald Trump Jr. and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, tied for third place. The same poll, which was taken after the military strikes began, shows Rubio’s approval rating sank from a high of 40 percent in February to 36 percent on Friday. Thirty-four percent disapprove of Rubio. Seventeen percent offered a neutral position and another 14 percent were unsure. But the two deny any animus. ‘Marco is my closest friend in the administration,’ Vance told Fox News in late February. ‘I think it’s so interesting the media wants to create this conflict where there just isn’t any conflict.’ Representatives for Vance and Rubio did not immediately respond to a request for comment.