**“AMERICA IS HOT!” Trump Declares Amid Second Term and Cabinet Praise**
Following the May jobs report, former President Donald Trump proclaimed on social media, “AMERICA IS HOT!” In July, marking six months into his presidency, he boldly declared, “The USA is the ‘hottest’ and most respected Country anywhere in the World.”
As Trump embarks on his second term, he has shared the spotlight and success with several Cabinet members, painting a picture of a somewhat magnanimous president poised to handpick his successor in 2028. Trump has lavished praise on key figures within his administration, including Vice President JD Vance, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
He has also highlighted lesser-known Cabinet members such as Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Among these officials, at least two are potential contenders for the 2028 presidential race, ready to carry forward Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) legacy.
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### Strong Support for Vice President JD Vance
Vance emerges as the leading contender for the 2028 GOP nomination. Despite historic tensions typical between presidents and vice presidents, Trump and Vance’s relationship appears notably close in this second administration.
From the beginning, Vance has been entrusted with high-profile assignments, boosting his profile within the GOP. During a late September event, Trump praised Vance’s role in negotiating a deal to keep TikTok operational in the U.S., asking him to address the audience and provide updates on the agreement.
As the administration’s chief spokesman, Vance has taken on significant diplomatic duties. He openly criticized European allies over free speech issues at the Munich Security Conference and confronted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a White House visit, which resulted in Zelensky’s abrupt departure. Months later, the two met in Rome as part of efforts to broker a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Domestically, Vance played a crucial role in rallying Senate Republican holdouts, including Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), to support the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a substantial domestic policy initiative.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the *Washington Examiner* that Trump “genuinely enjoys the vice president’s company” and “greatly trusts him,” citing Vance’s leadership on the TikTok deal as evidence of this trust.
An anonymous source close to the vice president echoed this sentiment, noting Vance’s “incredibly close relationship” with Trump compared to previous administrations, and emphasizing that Vance is “wholeheartedly committed to implementing the president’s agenda,” which fosters deep mutual trust.
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### Trump Highlights Other Key Cabinet Members
While Trump has expressed strong affinity for Vance, he has also showered praise on other prominent administration figures who remain popular within the Republican Party.
During a recent address to the Israeli parliament (the Knesset), Trump predicted, “Marco [Rubio] will go down—I mean this—as the greatest secretary of state in the history of the United States.” He remarked on Rubio’s intelligence and respectability, surprising observers with his glowing endorsement.
At a military leadership event in Quantico, Virginia, Trump praised War Secretary Pete Hegseth despite his tumultuous tenure. “I don’t want him to get so good. I almost fired him,” Trump joked, before acknowledging Hegseth’s excellent speech and overall “fantastic job.”
Trump also recognized Rubio and Hegseth during a May National Day of Prayer event, commending Rubio for his problem-solving capabilities and Hegseth for his dedication. Attorney General Pam Bondi also received praise for “doing incredible work.”
Beyond these high-profile figures, Trump applauded lesser-known officials such as Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins:
– At a recent IVF initiative event, Trump said, “Lori, you know you’re doing a fantastic job… You’re an absolute gem.”
– In April, he credited Rollins with lowering egg prices by 59% and improving availability, calling her performance “fantastic.”
Missouri-based Republican consultant Gregg Keller believes Trump’s selection of Cabinet members reflects a stronger, more talented team than his first term. “I think Rubio, Hegseth, and JD Vance are stars,” Keller said, adding that Trump’s current staff is “light-years ahead” of those in Trump 1.0.
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### No Official Successor Named Yet
Trump’s preference for visually appealing, media-savvy politicians is well-known. Republican strategist Dennis Lennox observed that Trump favors individuals who “look right out of central casting,” citing Vance and Hegseth as fitting this mold.
Despite publicly fostering close relationships with key aides, Trump’s mercurial nature has left some experts cautious about firmly predicting his successor. Boston University presidential historian Thomas Whalen noted that Trump’s impulsiveness leads to mixed signals regarding potential heirs.
“Trump is kind of all over the map,” Whalen said, highlighting moments when Trump avoided endorsing Vance and more recently praised Rubio. Whalen suggested Trump’s strategy might involve “playing them off, one against the other,” a “divide and conquer” approach that serves his political interests.
Other scholars drew lessons from the chaos in Trump’s first term, which saw high turnover in key staff. St. Louis University professor emeritus Joel Goldstein pointed to the four chiefs of staff and multiple national security advisors who cycled through the administration. He also referenced a public feud with Elon Musk, highlighting the instability and dramatic departures common in Trump’s inner circle.
Goldstein contrasted the sycophantic relationship former Vice President Mike Pence had with Trump — before famously breaking with him over the events of January 6, 2021 — with the current administration’s dynamics.
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### Experts Weigh In on Evolving Trump-Vance Relationship
Some historians caution that the Trump administration has yet to pass the one-year mark, and with 2028 still years away, changes in loyalty and relationships remain possible.
Christopher Devine, a University of Dayton expert on vice presidential candidates, expressed skepticism about declaring the Trump-Vance relationship as fundamentally different from previous presidents and their vice presidents. “We haven’t stress-tested that yet,” he said, adding that the true test will come as the next presidential election cycle approaches, likely after the midterms.
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As Trump continues his second term, his evolving relationships with Cabinet members and potential successors will remain central to the GOP’s future. Whether JD Vance, Marco Rubio, or others will emerge as the standard-bearer for the MAGA movement in 2028 remains a developing story.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/in_focus/3851169/trump-vance-rubio-others-success-competition-2028/
