Ken Griffin is signaling early where his political support might land for the next presidential race. The multibillionaire hedge fund manager recently indicated his preference for Secretary of State Marco Rubio over Vice President JD Vance. The comments were made during a high-profile interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin.
Sorkin questioned Griffin at the exclusive Allen and Company conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. The Citadel founder made it clear that he has backed Rubio in the past and remains predisposed to do so again. However, Griffin stopped short of detailing exactly how he would assist Rubio in a potential primary matchup.
🇺🇸 GOP Megadonor and Citadel CEO Ken Griffin says he'd back Rubio over Vance in 2028.
The man who donated over $100 million in the 2024 cycle also privately lobbied Trump against picking Vance as his running mate.
He made the comments at the exclusive Sun Valley, ID conference… pic.twitter.com/64ff2Sfvme
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) July 9, 2026
The tension between Griffin and Vance is not entirely new. In his book, Axios reporter Alex Isenstadt revealed that Griffin actively urged Donald Trump not to select Vance as his running mate. Despite those past efforts, Vance secured the vice presidency and remains a formidable contender for the future of the party.
Griffin previously backed Rubio during his unsuccessful presidential run about a decade ago. He also made substantial contributions during the last election cycle, giving $5 million to a super PAC backing Nikki Haley. Griffin's spokesperson confirmed the major donation following his eventual vote for Trump in the general election.
For his part, Rubio has attempted to downplay any potential rivalry with the vice president. The secretary of state previously declared that he would not challenge Vance if the vice president seeks the nomination. Rubio asserted that Vance would easily secure the nomination and promised to be one of the first to back him.
As the CEO of Citadel, Griffin wields massive economic influence in conservative political circles. Forbes estimates his current net worth at more than $51 billion. His early political positioning will likely trigger significant conversations among major donors looking ahead to the next election cycle.