Trump Shuts Down Reporter’s Attempt to Pit Marco Rubio Against J.D. Vance [WATCH]

President Donald Trump on Sunday evening dismissed a reporter’s attempt to suggest internal division between Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, forcefully stating that both officials play equal roles in his administration, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

Trump made the remarks aboard Air Force One as he traveled back to Washington, D.C., after spending the Christmas holiday at Mar-a-Lago in South Florida.

The exchange occurred shortly before Air Force One touched down at Joint Base Andrews.

The question came as Rubio had spent the weekend appearing on multiple Sunday news programs, where he discussed U.S. policy following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

Rubio said he is “intricately involved” in efforts aimed at moving Venezuela toward a peaceful transfer of power after the U.S. operation that resulted in Maduro’s detention.

During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, Rubio also issued pointed remarks regarding Cuba’s role in Venezuela.

“In some cases, one of the biggest problems Venezuelans have is they have to declare independence from Cuba,” Rubio said.

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“They tried to basically colonize it from a security standpoint. So, yeah, look, if I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned at least a little bit.”

As Trump spoke with reporters aboard Air Force One, one member of the press attempted to frame Rubio’s media presence as evidence of favoritism within the administration.

“What you say that Marco Rubio has your ear more than the Vice President right now?” the reporter asked.

Trump immediately rejected the premise.

“No! They both do. JD is very smart and doing a great job, and so is Marco! I would say they’re equal,” the president responded.

The reporter continued pressing the issue, saying, “It sounds like [Rubio] is the go-to and you were just talking about Cuba and what could come next there.”

Trump did not alter his response or walk back his remarks, maintaining that both senior officials are closely involved in administration policy.

Air Force One landed at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday evening, where Trump transferred to Marine One for the return to the White House.

TRUMP RETURNS: Air Force One touches down at Joint Base Andrews as President Trump boards Marine One to return to the nation’s capital on the heels of the Venezuela operation that captured Maduro. pic.twitter.com/p6x5z1uWSw

— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 5, 2026

The president’s return followed the U.S. operation in Venezuela that led to Maduro’s capture, an event that has dominated political and media discussion in recent days.

Administration officials confirmed that Trump, Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and other senior officials are scheduled to be on Capitol Hill on Monday.

The group is expected to brief high-ranking members of congressional committees on developments in Venezuela and the aftermath of the operation.

Footage of Air Force One’s arrival was shared by Fox News, showing the aircraft touching down at Joint Base Andrews as Trump prepared to return to the nation’s capital.

The White House did not indicate that any additional announcements would be made during Monday’s briefings beyond updates related to Venezuela and regional security issues.

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