President Donald Trump is pitting two of his closest confidants to succeed him in office.

“Which one of you is going to be at the top of the ticket?” the president told Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to White House insiders quoted by the Wall Street Journal. “I used to think it would be Vance-Rubio, but maybe it will be Rubio-Vance.”

While Trump is reluctant to discuss an end to his political career, inside sources told the Journal that Trump has said any successor would have to earn his backing for a shot at the top job.

Polls have consistently shown Vance as the favorite to replace Trump, and Trump told reporters on Tuesday he views his vice president as his most likely successor.

But he has increasingly talked up Rubio following his striking

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