An AI-driven prediction about who will become the next President of the United States after Donald Trump’s second four-year term ends in 2029 is causing a stir.
Given the turbulent nature of Trump’s current White House tenure, and the fact that he has only been back in office for a little over a year, it’s reasonable to assume that a lot can and will happen between now and the day he is replaced by someone else.
Yet with the political battlefield in the U.S. more divided than ever, people are already turning their attention to who stands the best chance of either continuing Trump’s agenda after he leaves office or attempting to address the many issues sparked by his actions.
To that end, a simulation using AI — published by the I Ask AI YouTube channel — has attempted to predict what the 2028 U.S. election could look like, analyzing political trends, polling dynamics, and candidate positioning to build a clearer picture of who might win and why.
On the Republican side, the two candidates who may end up facing each other are current Vice President JD Vance and current Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The AI suggested that the difference in their current roles could be a deciding factor. It explained: “That’s the key distinction. Rubio carries Trump baggage, but not the same amount. He’s Secretary of State, not Vice President.”
It added: “There’s a meaningful difference between I served in the administration and I was the guy standing right next to him for everything.”
The model further noted that Rubio would likely find it easier to distance himself from certain domestic controversies that could hurt Vance.
“Rubio can credibly say he was focused on foreign policy while the domestic chaos was happening,” the model said. “Vance can’t make that argument at all.”
Even so, the AI still suggested that Vance should be seen as the current favorite between the two.
“Rubio won’t overtake Vance by doing anything bold. He’ll only get there if Vance stumbles… You’re basically waiting for someone else to fail rather than making your own case,” it said.
According to the model, however, there are scenarios where momentum could shift, particularly given the unpredictable nature of Donald Trump and his politics.
“By 2028, Trump’s approval will have dragged Vance down too far to recover,” the AI said of one possible outcome. “The guy standing next to Trump for four years owns every bad decision, every scandal, every economic complaint.”
The AI even projected the former president’s potential influence in that scenario, stating: “When Trump sees the writing on the wall and blesses Rubio instead, the primary is over. Republican voters follow Trump’s endorsement like gravity.”
On the Democratic side, meanwhile, the AI suggested not only that Gavin Newsom would secure the nomination, but that he would defeat his Republican opponent, whoever that may be.
“Newsom wins barely,” it said. “The fundamental reason is exhaustion… Voters are ready to turn the page.”
What do you think will happen in the next U.S. election? Let us know in the comments.
