President Donald Trump has shifted his focus from evaluating Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as potential 2028 successors to openly endorsing Vance.

This change, according to sources, was influenced by Vance's recent book tour for his memoir 'Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith,' which included appearances on major media platforms like ABC's 'The View,' Bill Maher's show, and Fox News.

Trump reportedly praised Vance's comfort in these settings and his weight loss, which aligns with a sauerkraut-heavy diet adopted by several administration officials.

While the White House emphasizes Vance's role in Iran negotiations and legislative efforts, some staff express concerns about Vance's team's focus on online chatter.

Despite this, Trump has publicly signaled his preference for Vance, though tensions remain over past policy disagreements, including the collapse of a U.S.-Iran memorandum Vance helped negotiate.