A GOP megadonorrevealed at a private conference on Wednesday that he intends to back Secretary of State Marco Rubio over Vice President JD Vance should the two men decide to run for president in 2028, according to a new report.
Axios reported that Ken Griffin, CEO of Citadel LLC, said during an interview at the Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, that he would be “predisposed” to backing Rubio because he previously backed his failed 2016 presidential bid. Griffin, who Axios reported gave more than $100 million to Republicans in 2024, is one of the party’s largest donors and has previously called for it to “move on” from Trump.
“Griffin’s comments reflected the 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,” the report reads in part.
Griffin’s comments came at a time when Republicans have expressed concerns about how the 2026 midterm elections are shaping up. Democrats appear poised to retake the House of Representatives, according to public polling, despite recent redistricting efforts in several states. Some political analysts have suggested the Democrats have a path to retake the Senate as well, although the party’s odds appear longer.