WAITING IN THE WEST WING

Why Donald Trump Is Refusing to Pick a Successor

Here are three good reasons for why Trump is reluctant to endorse his vice president—or anyone else.

opinion

President Donald Trump just won’t tell J.D. Vance what he wants to hear: That the Vice President will be his chosen successor. The Wall Street Journal recently reported two occasions when Trump “declined to formally crown” Vance, and “is leaving his options open.” (He’s also reportedly working to “stoke competition” between Vance and Marco Rubio, the Journal added.) Awkward! I’ve got three reasons why Trump is reluctant to endorse Vance—or anyone else. Remember that Trump is, at heart, a reality TV guy. He knows that the drama of who he will hand the crown over to is huge—he’s not going to spoil it now. Meanwhile, Don Jr. is still lurking. Is there going to be a better chance for him than 2028? And, of course, Trump doesn’t want to close the door on the possibility of running again himself. When asked about ruling out a third term, he never says “no.” He says he isn’t planning to. Or that he could but probably won’t. Republicans insist he is joking. But is he? What does this all mean? That Vance and Rubio will be forced to continue to battle it out behind the scenes. Probably for years. Which is exactly how Trump wants it.

Want more ball and strike calling—no matter what uniform the batter at the plate is wearing? Check out Chris Cillizza’s Substack and YouTube channel.

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