Trump throws MAGA’s 'golden child' under the bus: conservative

Some MAGA Republicans, including "War Room" host Steve Bannon, are calling for President Donald Trump to seek a third term in 2028 even though the U.S. Constitution's 21st Amendment, ratified in 1951, is crystal clear about presidential term limits. Others in the MAGA movement are arguing that they need to think about MAGA's future. Turning Point USA's Erika Kirk is already endorsing Vice President JD Vance for 2028, but according to Never Trump conservative Rick Wilson, Trump is undermining Vance as the "golden child for MAGA" — and making sure Republicans compete for his support.

In a "Fast Politics" video with liberal co-host Molly Jong-Fast, Wilson argued, "I think (Trump) is starting to try to shape the future to pick out who he wants as the golden child for MAGA. And you notice, he said, over the weekend — or, I guess, at the end of the week — there was that big meeting with Candace (Owens) and Tucker (Carlson), all these people who are MAGA but are opposed to…. the Iran war, and he came out and said: Well, they're not MAGA, I'm MAGA. I'll decide who is MAGA."

The former GOP strategist continued, "And I think he's starting to look at himself as the kingmaker to come in the immediate years ahead of them — however many there are left. And so, I think that's why you're getting this sort of vibe of competition between Vance and (Secretary of State Marco) Rubio."

Republicans, Wilson noted, are by no means universally sold on Vance as the logical successor to Trump.

GOP insiders are paying attention to former Sen. Rubio (R-Florida), who is the closest thing to a traditional conservative in the second Trump Administration.

Wilson told Jong-Fast, "And you're going to start seeing (Trump) mentioning senators or governors that he likes. You're going to see him play the game. He's going to throw meat out there to make them all compete for his love. Just like with his children."

Jong-Fast interjected that "this is all happening with the backdrop" of recent firings in the Trump Administration. Although Trump's second administration hasn't had nearly as much turnover as his first, the president has fired some prominent MAGA loyalists in 2026 — including former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi (who was replaced by Acting AG Todd Blanche) and ex-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem (who was replaced with now-DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, a former U.S. senator).

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