OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former President Donald Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee, is choosing only three possible running mates, according to a new report from CNN.
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, Mediaite reported.
“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 reported “VP list” have been changing and 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 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
“This time Trump’s calculus will be much different than it was during his last two campaigns,” New York Magazine’s Intelligencer column noted.
“Unlike in 2016, he can pretty much choose whoever he wants (within reason). Assuming the primary continues on its current trajectory, he will owe his nomination to no particular party faction; that means there’s no significant bloc of intraparty opposition that he must appease the way conservative evangelicals needed to be placated with Mike Pence,” the outlet noted.
“Trump also has to think about his legacy. Since he’s limited to two terms, his veep will be the prohibitive front-runner in 2028 if Republicans win,” the column continued.
“Even if they don’t take back the White House, the vice presidential choice is Trump’s best opportunity to designate a successor not only as party leader but as the chieftain of the MAGA movement,” the column added.
