As Trump battles Epstein fallout and his second-term limits, MAGA insiders are already jostling for 2028 succession.
Six months into his second term, President Trump is facing a new wave of internal doubts following his administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. The White House’s claim that no Epstein “client list” exists has stirred unrest among Trump’s base and sparked quiet moves toward a post-Trump future.
Though Trump is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, it’s the Epstein controversy — paired with visible signs of aging — that’s prompting MAGA figures to treat him like a lame duck.
“MAGA influencers certainly won’t admit it — but they absolutely see it. And more importantly, they’re starting to act on it,” the report notes.
Speculation around 2028 successors has intensified, with Vice President JD Vance, Tucker Carlson, and Donald Trump Jr. emerging as potential frontrunners.
Still, Trump’s coalition appears difficult to transfer. As one analysis put it: “Trumpism isn’t an ideology. It’s a person.”
And as the former president’s aura fades, his movement may face its greatest challenge yet — surviving without him.