Washingtin DC: US President Donald Trump has said he has yet to decide whether he will endorse a Republican candidate in the 2028 presidential race, indicating that his choice will depend on how the political situation evolves over the coming months.
Speaking to Salem News Channel on Thursday, Trump was asked whether he planned to back a potential successor before or during the Republican presidential primaries, following the party’s significant losses in the 2026 US midterm elections.
“I don’t know. You know, it depends on how – what the feeling is,” Trump said, suggesting that he was in no hurry to make a decision.
Describing a potential endorsement as a matter of political instinct and personal judgment, he added, “It’s a feel. It’s a touch. It’s too early to say. I like a lot of people.”
The president, however, expressed confidence in his ability to influence Republican electoral contests, claiming that candidates who receive his backing have a strong track record.
“Almost everybody that I endorse wins,” Trump said.
Trump also shared his views on when the Republican Party should begin its preparations for the 2028 presidential nomination contest. Asked about the timeline for primary debates among potential contenders, he suggested that the process should begin in approximately a year.
“I would say in a year. I think a year is a lot of time,” he said.
Comparing the US electoral process with those in other countries, Trump said the nomination race should have sufficient time to unfold, arguing that a two-week contest would be too short.
“I mean, you go to some countries; they have, like, a period of two weeks, which is probably too short. But I think a year process,” he added.
Trump also spoke positively about the Republican Party’s potential leadership pool, saying the party had several capable figures who could compete for the presidential nomination.
“I don’t know about on the other side, we have some very good people on the bench. We really do. We have some very good candidates,” he said.
Trump has previously offered differing indications about his role in determining the Republican Party’s next presidential nominee. While he has suggested at times that he may stay out of the succession contest, he has also floated the possibility of backing potential candidates, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
With the 2028 presidential election still some distance away, Trump’s latest remarks suggest that he is keeping his options open rather than committing to an early endorsement.
