Trump Stops Meeting to Make Unexpected Announcement…b See more

More recently, however, that discussion has largely subsided as Vance has emerged as the clear early favorite among many Republicans viewed as potential successors to Trump, the outlet said.

“POTUS isn’t asking, ‘JD or Marco?’ anymore,” one insider reportedly told Axios. “He’s no longer asking, ‘How’s JD doing?’ He’s now saying, ‘JD looks great, right?’”

A pivotal moment for Vance came in mid-June, when he joined presidential envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in helping broker a memorandum of understanding with Iran aimed at reducing hostilities.

The diplomatic effort significantly elevated Vance’s foreign policy profile, said Axios.

The timing also coincided with the June 16 release of Vance’s book, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.”

Already scheduled for a national book tour, Vance received additional media attention as news coverage of his role in the negotiations unfolded alongside the book’s debut, said the outlet.

Vance made 33 public media appearances in June, including interviews with conservative podcasts, a White House press briefing, informal exchanges with reporters, and televised sit-down interviews with liberals including Bill Maher on HBO and the ABC daytime talk show “The View.”

The series of appearances significantly expanded his exposure across audiences with a wide range of political perspectives.

“The president doesn’t watch ‘The View.’ But he saw the clips and loved what he saw,” a Trump adviser told Axios.

Vance has also become a prominent fundraiser for the Republican National Committee, helping generate approximately $70 million in contributions.

The fundraising network is widely viewed as a potential asset should he pursue a presidential campaign in 2028.

National polling shows Vance’s overall favorability rating remains underwater among the broader electorate, roughly in line with President Donald Trump’s.

Among Republican voters, however, his standing is considerably stronger.