Vice President JD Vance said it is "really obvious" that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is running for president in 2028.

Vance made the comments in an interview with NBC News aboard Air Force Two on Thursday while returning from a campaign stop in Florida. "It is really obvious to me that, at this very moment, Ted Cruz is running for president," Vance said. "At this moment, I’m not. I’m trying to help elect Republicans. That’s what I’m going to keep on doing."

The remarks come amid early positioning for the 2028 GOP nomination. Vance leads hypothetical polling averages with support near 40 percent, while Cruz registers around 3 percent. Cruz, who sought the nomination in 2016 and finished second to then-candidate Donald Trump, has recently increased his visibility on the issue.

Cruz has campaigned for Republican candidates in Iowa and South Carolina, early presidential primary states, and has publicly stated that it is "no secret" he wants to be president. He has also suggested the party must hold a full discussion about its future rather than anointing any single candidate, including Vance.

Cruz has drawn attention for recent clashes with conservative media figures, including Tucker Carlson, over support for Israel and U.S. policy toward Iran. A Cruz spokesman emphasized that the senator remains focused on helping elect Republicans in the November midterms.

Vance has stayed noncommittal about his own 2028 plans, saying he will evaluate options after the midterms. Republicans face what he described as an "uphill climb" in those elections, results that could influence his decision.

The exchange highlights emerging dynamics within the Republican Party as it looks beyond the current administration. Both Vance and Cruz have records of strong alignment with Trump-era priorities, though Cruz has positioned himself as a defender of traditional conservative principles in recent comments.