Speculation surged Thursday after a report from the Daily Mail claimed that Steve Bannon, former Trump adviser and current host of the War Room podcast, was considering a bold run for president in 2028. Citing “well-placed sources,” the report suggested Bannon is in the early stages of planning a campaign that would place him in direct competition with Vice President JD Vance, whom Trump has subtly endorsed for the future GOP nomination.

The Daily Mail also quoted Bannon as saying, “Love him … but Vance is not tough enough to run in 2028.” However, Bannon quickly denied the report. According to The National Pulse editor Raheem Kassam, Bannon simply responded with: “Trump 2028,” seemingly signaling continued support for the former president’s influence rather than his own candidacy.

Trump himself recently discussed Vance as his likely successor, saying the vice president is “doing a great job” and would probably be favored if he chose to run. He also floated the idea of a partnership between Vance and Marco Rubio, despite Rubio’s past tensions with Trump and his hawkish foreign policy stance.

Rubio, now serving as Secretary of State, praised Vance in a July interview, calling him “a close friend” and “a great nominee” should he pursue the presidency. He emphasized that while he can’t be active in domestic politics due to his cabinet position, he’s keeping future options open.

Although Trump claimed he would “probably not” seek a third term—barred by the Constitution—his continued teases and public endorsements suggest he intends to remain central to the GOP’s future leadership.