A new book reveals how Trump forced Rupert Murdoch to choose between Vance and Rubio in front of both of them

A new book has revealed an previously untold scene that fuels speculation about who might become the Republican presidential nominee in 2028. During a private dinner held at the White House in October 2025, Donald Trump reportedly asked media mogul Rupert Murdoch to compare the two leading national figures in the Republican Party: Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The anecdote appears in 'Regime Change,' the upcoming book by journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, and was previewed this Wednesday by Axios. The book examines Trump’s return to the White House, as well as the first months of his second term.

Based on interviews with officials, advisors, and people close to the president, it recounts internal White House episodes and the behind-the-scenes story of some of the most important decisions of the second Trump administration. It will go on sale on June 23.

According to the authors, Trump asked Murdoch directly which of the two potential candidates he preferred for 2028, and he did so with Vance and Rubio sitting just a few meters away.

Faced with the surprise question, Murdoch replied that Vance had “the potential to be great," while he described Rubio as a “brilliant” person.

The authors state that the episode sparked private comments among those who attended the meeting: “The other guests would continue to discuss that moment privately for weeks after the dinner.”

As for the relationship between Trump and Murdoch, the book maintains that the two were going through a period of rapprochement after several months of public tensions and disagreements related to media coverage of the president. “Tensions between the president and the media mogul had suddenly subsided. Trump was very affable,” they wrote about the dinner.

The book preview was released at a time when speculation is beginning to intensify about the 2028 presidential race and the future leadership of the Republican Party.

Recently, Trump himself even commented on the possibility of Vance and Rubio forming the Republican ticket in 2028: "Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio? All right. Sounds like a good ticket."

Seconds later, he clarified that his words did not constitute an official endorsement: "By the way, I do think that’s a dream team. But these are minor details. That doesn’t mean they have my endorsement under any circumstances."