Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday dismissed rumors of a rift forming with Secretary of State Marco Rubio following the secretary's speech in Germany over the weekend, maintaining that Rubio is his "closest friend in the administration." 

The rumors come after Rubio received a standing ovation for his speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, and as both men are considered top contenders for the Republican nomination for president in 2028.

Vance denied that there is any conflict between him and the secretary and highlighted that the 2028 presidential election is still three years away, so the administration is focused on its current agenda. 

“I think it’s so interesting the media wants to create this conflict where there just isn’t any conflict,” Vance told Fox News host Martha MacCallum on “The Story.” “Marco’s doing a great job. I’m trying to do as good of a job as I can. The president’s doing a great job. We’re going to keep on working together.

“Marco is my closest friend in the administration," he continued. "I think he’s doing a great job for the American people but most importantly, we all have to continue doing a good job for the American people from the president on down.”

The comment comes after President Donald Trump declined to weigh in on a potential 2028 primary between the two, voicing his support for both men and said he did not need to worry about choosing between them yet.

“JD’s fantastic, and Marco, they’re both fantastic, I think, really," he told reporters. "I think Marco did a great job in Munich."