Politics'These Two Are Absolutely Hidden Rivals': J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio 'Can't Stand Each Other,' Insider Spills
Insiders claimed J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio are 'hidden rivals' as they 'can't stand each other.'
May 1 2026, Published 7:20 a.m. ET
It looks like there may be tension brewing between J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio — at least behind closed doors.
According to a source, the two political heavyweights are “locked in a behind-the-scenes battle for influence and visibility” as talk about the 2028 presidential election heats up.
Insiders claim J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio are quietly competing behind closed doors.
“These two are absolutely rivals,” one GOP insider told Rob Shuter’s Substack page. “They play nice in public, but privately they cannot stand each other.”
The tension reportedly became more obvious during a recent donor gathering at Mar-a-Lago, where Donald Trump casually asked guests who they could see leading the party in 2028.
“The room erupted for Rubio,” an eyewitness claimed. “People were openly cheering his name.”
“J.D. saw it, and J.D. clocked it,” the source added. “He pays very close attention to who is getting Trump’s attention — and who is not.”
A donor event at Mar-a-Lago reportedly showed strong support for Marco Rubio.
Insiders said the president is “enjoying every second of it.”
“Trump loves a rivalry,” another source shared. “He knows competition keeps everyone sharp, loyal and desperate to impress him.”
The latest chatter comes just weeks after Vance announced his upcoming book, Communion: Finding My Way Back To Faith, a move that’s already fueling speculation about a possible 2028 run.
J.D. Vance’s upcoming book is adding fuel to speculation about his political future.
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The 304-page book, set for release in June by HarperCollins, dives into his personal spiritual journey — from Christianity to atheism, and eventually back to faith after converting to Catholicism in 2019.
“The story of how I regained my faith, of course, only happened because I had lost it to begin with,” Vance, who previously called Rubio his “close friend,” said in a statement.
“The interesting question that hangs over this book, and over my mind, is why I ever strayed from the path. Why the Christian faith of my youth failed to properly take root,” he added.
When asked directly about a potential 2028 bid in another interview, Vance kept things focused on the present.
“I’ve been in this job for a year,” he told Fox News, referring to his role as vice president.
He doubled down, “Why don’t I do as good of a job as I can in this job? We’ll worry about the next job sometime in the future.”
Despite rumors, J.D. Vance insisted that there is no feud between him and Marco Rubio.
As the conversation shifted to possible Republican contenders, Rubio’s name continued to come up — even as Vance brushed off any talk of a feud.
“Marco’s doing a great job. I’m trying to do as good a job as I can,” he said, pushing back on claims that there’s tension between them.
Still, some Republicans said they’re closely watching who the president appears to favor as the next face of the party.
"Everyone is watching the body language that Trump makes on Rubio and not seeing the same on Vance," a Republican with close ties to the White House said, per Reuters.
Meanwhile, the White House is shutting down the speculation.
"No amount of crazed media speculation about Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio will deter this administration's mission of fighting for the American people," spokesman Steven Cheung said.
