US Vice President JD Vance has hinted that he may not run for President in 2028, citing family considerations and his wife Usha Vance's reservations about politics, even as he remains widely viewed as a leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination.
Speaking at a CBS News town hall in Flat Rock, Michigan, Vance said he had not made a decision about seeking the White House after President Donald Trump's second term and would consider his political future only after the November midterm elections.
Asked directly whether there was a possibility that he would not run for President in 2028, Vance replied: "Of course there's a chance."
He pointed to the demands of raising four young children and the preferences of his wife, Usha, whose parents immigrated to the United States from South India.
"Yeah, man, we've got four little kids. My wife has never loved politics. She loves public service," Vance said.
The remarks offered a rare public acknowledgement of the personal considerations that could influence one of the most consequential decisions in Republican politics. Vance, who was elected to the US Senate from Ohio in 2022 before becoming Trump's running mate in 2024, has emerged as a prominent figure in the Republican Party.
His political future has attracted attention because Trump cannot seek another consecutive presidential term under the constitutional two-term limit. But Vance resisted suggestions that his current position made a presidential campaign inevitable.
He said people frequently asked about his plans and appeared to assume that he would automatically enter the race. "The way that I think about life, big life decisions, my wife will tell you this, is I'm a procrastinator. I hate thinking about it," he said.
Vance made clear that his immediate political priority was helping Republicans retain control of Congress in the November elections. He said he would turn his attention to the presidential question after the midterms, rather than allowing speculation about 2028 to distract from the current campaign. "But, you know, anything could happen, man. Anyway," he said.
CBS News moderator Tony Dokoupil pressed Vance on whether he and his wife had already begun discussing their future, suggesting that such a major decision would naturally be part of family conversations.
Vance rejected that suggestion. "Real, we're really not, though. We're really not. It's, it's what, whenever it comes up, it's always, let's figure it out after the midterms," he said.
The exchange came during a wide-ranging discussion covering the economy, immigration, the Iran war, technology, and the political challenges confronting the Trump administration. Vance repeatedly returned to the approaching midterm elections and urged Michigan voters to support Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers.
The Michigan contest between Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is among the closely watched races that could determine which party controls the Senate. Vance praised Rogers as a candidate of character and argued that personal integrity was essential for effective public service.
The Vice President's comments also drew attention to Usha Vance, the daughter of Indian immigrants, who has become a prominent figure in American public life since her husband's election to the vice presidency.
Her family's Indian roots have generated considerable interest in India and among Indian-Americans. Vance rose to national prominence through his memoir "Hillbilly Elegy" before entering electoral politics.
His rapid transition from first-term senator to vice president has placed him at the centre of discussions about the Republican Party's future leadership, although he has not announced a presidential campaign.
IANS