- Trump is now the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee.
- The former president is facing competing pressures to find his new running mate.
- Trump has a lot to choose from when it comes to either former rivals or MAGA allies.
Former President Donald Trump is seriously searching for his next running mate.
Trump, now officially the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee, is looking to narrow down a large list of former rivals, lawmakers, and MAGA allies to find the potential next vice president.
The former president faced some pressure to announce his decision quickly. But for now, Trump appears likely to follow a more traditional timeline. NBC News reported that “there is a growing consensus” around a June announcement. The Republican National Convention is set to start July 15 in Milwaukee.
Trump has stoked speculation about his pick by publicly confirming half a dozen names on his list: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Sen. Tim biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, and former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.
Almost all of the top names will attend a major donor retreat at Mar-a-Lago this weekend. According to CNBC, Rubio, Vance, Scott, Burgum, Noem, and Donals will be “special guests.” Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, the No. 4 House Republican, will also attend.
Noem’s chances have cratered after her reveal that decades ago, she shot and killed her family’s 14-month-old dog named Cricket. Even some Trump allies have questioned the governor’s judgment for including the previously unknown story in her forthcoming memoir.
History shows that the ultimate selection could be surprising, so it’s worth considering an even wider pool of potential names.
