OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former President Donald Trump is reportedly set to throw a “curveball” just before the first presidential debate on Thursday night against President Joe Biden.
According to a report from NBC News, sources identified only as “people familiar with the situation” claimed that Trump could be revealing his running mate before he and Biden even take the stage at CNN headquarters.
Trump has already stated that he will unveil the identity of his selected candidate before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which begins on July 15.
But that timeline may have shifted significantly, and Trump is reportedly considering a “curveball” that might knock Biden off his already unstable feet.
“People familiar with discussions about a pre-debate announcement had differing views about Trump’s leanings. One said he is eager to fill his ticket before he squares off with Biden. Another source said he would like the opportunity to throw a curveball to distract Biden before they meet but understands that such a move could create logistical and political complications,” NBC reported.
Any news report is only as reliable as its source, and anonymously sourced reports should always be taken with a grain of salt.
However, there’s no disputing that a Trump decision on a running mate would be a headline-grabbing move that would sap the air from the Atlanta matchup.
It would be exactly the kind of move Trump has been making since he announced his presidential campaign from the escalator at Trump Tower in 2015.
Reports broke earlier this week that Trump’s “VP list” is down to three names.
Following a video of Trump saying that he had already made up his mind about who he would pick but hadn’t told anyone yet, CNN’s Alayna Treene said she thought he had narrowed down his original list to a much smaller group.
“There’s so much speculation right now and a lot of anticipation over who Donald Trump is going to ultimately select. And this is the language we’ve heard Donald Trump say for a while, he’s often said that he knows who his choice is going to be,” Treene said.
“However, from my conversations with Donald Trump’s team, they’re still not completely, or they haven’t come to a formal decision yet on who he is going to select as his running mate. What I do know is that he has really narrowed his list to three top contenders: That is Doug Burgum, J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio, all people that they believe currently are at the top of his list,” Treene added.
“But of course, this is Donald Trump we’re talking about. Whenever we try to predict who a candidate will pick for VP, it’s always a difficult task. It’s even harder with Donald Trump. And again, when I talk to his team, they say he is someone who changes his mind every day based on who he sees on TV, who he speaks with over the phone. And so until he formally makes his announcement, Donald Trump can change his mind up until the last minute,” she continued.
Reports on Trump’s “VP list” have been changing all over the place for months.
Other recent reports speculated that Trump’s original VP list included not just the three finalists, but Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) as well as Reps. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY).
Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson has also been mentioned.
WATCH:
Trump has selected his VP candidate and narrowed it down to Doug Bergum, JD Vance and Marco Rubio.
Who do you think he chose and who do you wish he chose? pic.twitter.com/O2qFSEkY7q
— ProudPatriotUS🇺🇲 (@PrPatriotUS) June 24, 2024
Trump announced earlier this week that he has chosen his vice president.
The former president declined to name the pick but said he had decided who it would be when he spoke to reporters before his rally in Philadelphia on Saturday.
“Trump tells me and @DashaBurns just now: – He’s picked his VP – He hasn’t told them yet – They’ll be at the debate,” NBC News reporter Jake Traylor said on X, formerly Twitter.
NEW: Trump tells me and @DashaBurns just now:
– He’s picked his VP
– He hasn’t told them yet
– They’ll be at the debate pic.twitter.com/xL3qV98PFL— Jake Traylor (@jake__traylor) June 22, 2024
