Trump Accused of Pushing Back Against JD Vance's Bid to Become Next 'Golden Child of MAGA' — As 'Kingmaker' Prez Will 'Decide' Who Will Take Over Loyal Party
JD Vance could have fallen out of favor with his boss, Donald Trump.
June 1 2026, Published 5:45 p.m. ET
JD Vance may no longer be the man in waiting to assume President Trump's throne, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
It seems a growing number of Republicans are not exactly sold on Vance as the logical successor to Trump – and that could include the president himself.
Trump's Political Chess Match
Vance has seemed increasingly isolated from Trump's administration.
Political pundits have noted that Vance has been seemingly isolated from the Trump administration, as evidenced by his omission from the president's trip to China.
The resignation of Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence reportedly further weakened Vance's standing within the administration, especially as the president starts looking to the next administration – be it his or someone else's.
"I think (Trump) is starting to try to shape the future to pick out who he wants as the golden child for MAGA," Never Trump conservative Rick Wilson said on the Fast Politics podcast over the weekend.
"And you notice, he said... There was that big meeting with Candace (Owens) and Tucker (Carlson), all these people who are MAGA but are opposed to the Iran war, and he came out and said: 'Well, they're not MAGA, I'm MAGA. I'll decide who is MAGA.'"
Marco Rubio Rising
There are growing rumblings that Marco Rubio is the new 'golden child.'
The former GOP strategist continued, "And I think (Trump's) starting to look at himself as the kingmaker to come in the immediate years ahead of them — however many there are left. And so, I think that's why you're getting this sort of vibe of competition between Vance and (Secretary of State Marco) Rubio."
GOP insiders are paying increased attention to former Florida Senator Rubio, putting Vance on the defensive, as it seems many are pushing back against him being the next heir to MAGA.
A spokesperson for Vance forcefully denied reports suggesting the vice president has been sidelined from Trump's inner circle, calling the allegations "just a flimsy compilation of completely illegitimate sources who have no idea what they're talking about," per The Independent.
JD Vance's Stance on Wars Could Defeat Him
Trump seems to revel in his power to appoint his successor.
As one of the loudest defenders of Trump's MAGA movement, Vance has long been viewed as a likely frontrunner for the Republican nomination in 2028.
Those expectations appeared alive and well last month when he attended a Republican rally in Des Moines, Iowa, where he was introduced by a local GOP official as the "next president of the United States."
But recent reports have fueled questions over whether Vance's path to the Oval Office has become more complicated as divisions inside the administration deepen, particularly over foreign policy and military actions in Venezuela and Iran.
Ahead of strikes on Tehran earlier this year, Vance reportedly urged a more limited response and warned Trump that a wider operation could spark broader regional conflict.
Trump later appeared to acknowledge the disagreement publicly, saying Vance was "maybe less enthusiastic at the start of the war" and "philosophically a little bit different" regarding the conflict.
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There is also the possibility Trump runs for a third term, leaving all of his allies behind.
All this comes as Rubio rises in the Republican ranks. The Secretary of State, who has long embraced a more militant foreign policy agenda, has taken an increasingly aggressive stance on Iran and Cuba in recent weeks.
Speaking to reporters, Rubio described Cuba as a "national security threat" and suggested the chances of a diplomatic solution were "not high."
One White House insider claimed that Rubio currently has "more mojo than Vance," adding: "The president listens to him. Vance is out of step and has been for a long time."
