Trump takes brutal shot at 'little boy' JD Vance as he hints at who his 2028 successor will be
US president Donald Trump referred to his vice-president JD Vance as a 'little boy' to a laughing audience of law enforcement officials on Monday (May 11).
The POTUS made the eyebrow-raising remark when he was discussing the assassination attempt against him last month at the White House Correspondents' dinner.
On April 25, the suspected attacker - identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California - stormed past a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton, allegedly armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives.
Trump and other senior-ranking officials were whisked away in a matter of seconds by the Secret Service, including JD Vance, who was hurled out of his chair to safety.
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Speaking in the White House Rose Garden this week, Trump thanked the Security Service for their swift handling of what happened.
"I thought you did a great job two weeks ago. You know why? Because I’m here," he said.
Trump went on to describe the moment that JD was 'lifted' out of his chair by the agents, asking why they didn't lift him so fast too.
"But I will be the one to find fault if I think there was fault," he added. "They had great professional people, and they came out, and within seconds, I saw them take JD by the shoulders and lift him up like he was a little boy.
"I said, 'How come they didn’t lift me up so fast?' JD got ripped out of the chair, that was the view of the week."
Take a listen here:
Trump also spoke about his 2028 successor, suggesting it could be either Vance or Marco Rubio, with both being popular among voters.
"Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?" Trump asked.
"Is it gonna be JD? Is it gonna be someone else? I don't know."
Trump also described them as the 'dream team' adding: "By the way, I do believe that’s a dream team, but these are minor details.
"That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance. But you know... I think it sounds like presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate."
Trump didn't elaborate on who out of Vance and Rubio sounded more like the presidential rather than vice presidential candidate.
It's also not entirely clear if Rubio would run, after he told Vanity Fair last year: “If JD Vance runs for president, he’s going to be our nominee, and I’ll be one of the first people to support him."
Meanwhile, Trump has also floated the idea of serving for a third term, telling TIME last year: “I'd rather not discuss that now, but as you know, there are some loopholes that have been discussed that are well known.
"But I don't believe in loopholes. I don't believe in using loopholes.”
Topics: Donald Trump, JD Vance, US News, Politics
Lucy Devine