OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former President Donald Trump has not announced his intention to campaign for president again but he did make some news about a possible vice presidential pick.
He spoke to NDTV host Sreenivasan Jain this week about politics and the future of the nation when he was asked about an interesting choice for vice president.
“What about the media buzz that Ivanka might be your running mate? Is there any substance to that?” the host said.
“That, Ivanka?” the former president said. “That my daughter? I never thought of that one. I’ve never even heard of that one.”
“It’s in the media,” the host said.
“Oh that’s an interesting idea,” the former president said. “That one I have not heard of, but she’s a very capable person — that I can tell you. But, uh, no, I have not heard that.”
“Would you consider it?” the host said.
“No, I wouldn’t. Not my daughter,” the former president said as he laughed.
With speculation ripe that Trump will run for president in 2024, rumors are beginning to surface about who he may choose as his possible running mate.
Former Vice President Mike Pence is also a “no-go,” apparently.
During an interview with Peter Baker and Susan Glasser — who co-wrote the new book The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021 — Trump said will not pick Pence as his running mate if he runs for the presidency again.
“It would be totally inappropriate. Mike committed political suicide,” Trump said.
If Trump decides to run again, the media narrative thus far is that he will likely select a female running mate.
Back in late May, CNN published a report speculating that New York Rep. Elise Stefanik is likely a frontrunner.
While talk about a 2024 vice-presidential pick is of course premature, conversations about adding Stefanik to a future Trump ticket have gained steam in recent weeks at Mar-a-Lago and in other Republican circles, sources said. Current and former advisers and others in Trump’s orbit have privately argued that the New York Republican, who replaced Rep. Liz Cheney as the no. 3 House Republican last year, is a fierce and loyal attack dog, and Trump would benefit from tapping a woman for vice president should he run again.
Two people familiar with the matter said Trump has been surveying close friends and allies on what they think of Stefanik, one of several Republican women he is possibly eyeing for the potential VP slot, though he has not ruled out a few male contenders, too. One of these people said the former President believes Stefanik has undergone a genuine transformation – leaving the moderate wing of the party to join its increasingly powerful “America First” flank.
“There is a part of Trump who thinks he needs a female VP. He definitely likes her, likely because of how effusive she is to him,” an adviser to the former president said.
“President Trump thinks very highly of Elise Stefanik. … She has been talked about in circles close to him as a potential vice president,” Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy said. “And there’s a feeling among a lot of people on the Republican side that they need to have a woman on the ticket this time.”
Our southern border has had more illegal crossings in the past 19 months under President Biden than in EIGHT YEARS of the Obama administration.
House GOP has made a commitment to a nation that’s safe—and that starts with securing our southern border to end this crisis.
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) September 19, 2022
I was proud to lead 100 of my colleagues in demanding answers from credit card companies' attempt to infringe on our #2A rights!
In the face of this unconstitutional anti-gun agenda, I will always stand up for New Yorkers and all Americans’ #2A rights!https://t.co/WKpSw5AIaz
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) September 17, 2022
I am opposed to ANY attempt to create a national gun registry and infringe on our #2A rights!
I was proud to lead 100 of my colleagues demanding answers from credit card companies tracking gun purchases.https://t.co/cp3vzrKRNK
— Rep. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) September 16, 2022
Another name floated in the media is South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem.
However, Noem said in July that she would be “shocked” if Trump asked her to be his running mate, assuming he runs for president again.
“I think that there’s a lot of people out there who would like his running mate. I’m focused on getting reelected,” Noem told CNN’s co-anchor Dana Bash.
“I don’t operate in that hypothetical either,” Noem continued. “I would be shocked if he asked. And right now, I’m just so focused on South Dakota. We’re doing great things, and we’ve got a lot more to do the next four years.”
Noem says she would be "shocked" if Trump asks her to be 2024 running mate https://t.co/EwCFPrbCQN pic.twitter.com/xzS00sArvm
— The Hill (@thehill) July 4, 2022
