Vance, Rubio jammed into high-stakes horse race for Trump’s favor

When President Trump gave his first press conference since the start of the Iran war, he brushed past Vice President Vance, instead lavishing praise on Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

“Marco Rubio is doing a great job. I think he’s going to go down as the greatest secretary of State in history,” Trump told reporters Monday. “He’s been successful no matter where he’s been.”

When asked whether he and Vance, known for imposing foreign wars and entanglements, disagreed on any points related to the conflict, Trump only offered: “He’s philosophically a little different from me.” 

Over the course of the rest of the roughly 30-minute press conference, he never mentioned Vance again directly by name. 

The moment reflected the clearest sign yet of the internal horse race that is playing out in Trump’s orbit over who will succeed him.

Vance and Rubio, by just about every estimate, are the two leading contenders.

Trump’s glowing remarks about his secretary of State created an opening of sorts for Rubio on the heels of what the president considers two successful military missions in Venezuela and Iran. Rubio also got a shot of momentum after a well-received speech at the Munich Security Conference.

But it’s far from clear whether Trump has a real favorite between the two.

“Trump knows this is playing in the backdrop, and he’s struggling with it,” said one Republican fundraiser of the debate on who might succeed Trump atop the GOP and MAGA. “That’s why he keeps asking people what they’re thinking.” 

NBC reported earlier this week that in the hours before the U.S. joined Israel in the military attack in Iran, Trump hosted a room full of top administration officials and donors at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla.

During the evening, he posed a “pressing question” to attendees: “Marco or JD?” 

One attendee told the outlet the room was largely in favor of Rubio. But another disputed that characterization and said the room was split. 

A separate source familiar with the gathering told The Hill that the sentiment in the room skewed more moderate and favored Rubio. 

Some political observers say Trump relishes the political intrigue around the Vance-Rubio question.

“It’s very Trump to constantly do........

© The Hill