News

Donald Trump Hints at VP Selection Timing as Four Contenders Emerge

Published

7 months ago

May 3, 2024

Trump revealed his timeline in an interview with FOX6 News Milwaukee.Youtube/FOX6 News Milwaukee

Former US President Donald Trump has revealed a potential timeline for selecting his running mate for the 2024 Republican ticket during a campaign visit to Wisconsin.

Speaking to FOX 6 Milwaukee, Trump indicated that he would likely announce his running mate “not too much before the convention,” which is scheduled in Milwaukee from July 15-18.

Donald Trump revealed his timeline in an interview with FOX6 News Milwaukee.

Trump’s decision to announce his running mate close to the convention mirrors his approach in 2016 when he selected then-Indiana Gov. Mike Pence just before the Republican National Convention.

Despite facing legal challenges related to “hush money” payments in a Manhattan courtroom, Trump expressed no urgency to expedite the running mate selection process.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 19, 2023.

Trump emphasised that he feels confident in campaigning effectively without needing a running mate to represent him.

While Trump has refrained from naming a definitive top choice for his running mate, he has spoken positively about several potential candidates.

Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) walks to a luncheon with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol Building on February 27, 2024 in Washington, DC.

However, the selection process has been dynamic behind the scenes, with contenders rising and falling rapidly.

Biotech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem are no longer considered contenders for the vice presidential slot.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ruled himself out as Trump’s running mate in a donor call earlier this year.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump greets North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as he speaks at a caucus night rally in Las Vegas, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024.

Trump is hosting a major campaign event in Palm Beach this week, where many potential running mates are expected to attend.

Recent reports suggested that Trump had narrowed his choices to four top contenders: North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Republican Sens. JD Vance, Marco Rubio, and Tim Scott.

However, the Trump campaign pushed back against these reports, emphasising that only Trump knows when and whom he will choose as his running mate.

Ranking member Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., jokingly gavels in the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing titled "The Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress," as Chairman Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, looks on off camera, in Dirksen building on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

Senior adviser Brian Hughes dismissed claims about Trump’s vice presidential selection process, stating that only Trump can make such decisions.

Another senior adviser, Chris LaCivita, cautioned reporters against making assumptions about Trump’s running mate selection, suggesting that premature speculation could backfire.