Ken Griffin Says He'd Back Rubio Over Vance in 2028 GOP Primary

Citadel founder and GOP megadonor Ken Griffin has picked a side in the early 2028 Republican primary shadow race. Griffin said at a private conference Wednesday that he'd support Secretary of State Marco Rubio over Vice President JD Vance in a 2028 GOP presidential primary, per Axios.

What Griffin actually said

Griffin was interviewed at the Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley, Idaho by New York Times financial columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin, who asked him whether he'd support Rubio or Vance in a 2028 GOP primary matchup.

Griffin noted that he'd historically backed Rubio, donated to him during his unsuccessful 2016 presidential run, and would be predisposed to backing him again. The interaction was brief and Griffin, the fifth-biggest donor in the 2024 cycle, didn't specify what he would do to help Rubio.

Why donors are paying attention

Griffin is one of the most prolific donors in the Republican Party, giving more than $100 million in 2024, and would be a huge asset to Rubio if the secretary of state were to run for president.

His comments reflect an emerging split in the GOP between establishment-minded figures like Griffin, who want Rubio to run, and anti-establishment types who prefer Vance, in part because of the VP's reluctance to involve the U.S. in foreign conflicts.

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The Trump factor

A White House source told Axios that “JD is earning it, and Trump sees it,” while insisting Rubio “wasn't planning to run anyway, and he'd be even less likely to do so now.”

Rubio has said he would defer to Vance should the vice president run in 2028, as Vance is widely expected to do. The lion's share of polling has Vance as the favorite to secure the GOP nomination in two years.

Griffin's history with Trump

Griffin, a billionaire investor, has criticized Trump in the past, including in 2022, when he called for the GOP to move on from Trump and said it was “time to move on to the next generation.” He supported former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley over Trump in the 2024 GOP primary.

While Griffin has criticized Trump's tariffs, he has supported the President's deregulation efforts and attended a White House dinner with other Wall Street executives last November.

Options market and stocks to watch

Political succession chatter rarely moves single names, but donor alignment shapes policy expectations that touch entire sectors. A few to keep on the radar:

LMT and RTX: Watch defense contractors given the establishment-vs-restraint split on foreign policy that Griffin himself flagged as the dividing line between Rubio and Vance backers.

XOM and CVX: Energy names to watch as Griffin has publicly warned about oil-shock risk tied to Middle East policy, a Rubio strong suit.

JPM: Watch big banks as a proxy for the deregulation trade that establishment GOP donors like Griffin continue to prioritize.

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