President Trump said Tuesday it was too soon to settle on a successor to serve as the Republican nominee in 2028, but acknowledged Vice President Vance is the “most likely” heir apparent.

“I think most likely, in all fairness,” Trump said when asked if he would clear the field by backing Vance.

“So it’s too early to talk about it, but certainly he’s doing a great job and he would be probably favored at this point,” Trump said of his vice president.

Trump suggested Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who ran for president in 2016, could make a formidable ticket with Vance. The president also cited others in his Cabinet who could have a future leading the MAGA movement.

Trump earlier Tuesday said he would “probably not” seek a constitutionally prohibited third term.

The president and some of his allies have repeatedly floated the idea of a third term. At times, those comments have been dismissed as a joke, though Trump has at other points appeared more serious about the idea.

Some political strategists have suggested that Trump’s talk of a third term also helps keep a lid on chatter about the 2028 presidential race, taking the spotlight away from the president’s administration.