Former President Donald Trump on Monday indicated that he has not finalized who he will select as his vice presidential candidate, just days before the Republican nominating convention.
During an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, the former president was asked about possible choices including Sens. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.), along with North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
“The names that you mentioned, absolutely they’re under consideration,” the former president told the host. However, the former president said he hasn’t “made a final decision, but I have some ideas as to where we’re going.”
Former President Trump said he would “love” to announce his vice presidential pick during the Republican National Convention, which will be held in Milwaukee starting July 15. But he indicated that such a move might be “a little complicated.”
“Probably a little before the convention, but not much. It could even be during the convention that we’d do it,” he said.
While he did not make any indications on who he might choose on Monday, the former president provided more details on the type of person he wants as his No. 2. His running mate, he said, would have to be “a person that can do a fantastic job as president,” and “somebody that helps you get elected.”
In a separate interview, Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller said in a Monday interview with Fox News that the announcement “could happen anytime this week” or “could happen literally right up until the first day of the convention.”
Mr. Rubio, who ran against then-candidate Trump in 2016, will make an appearance at the former president’s campaign rally at a Trump Doral golf club in Florida on Tuesday evening. On Saturday, the former president will hold a rally in a city located in western Pennsylvania, considered a battleground state, near the border with Ohio.
On July 7, the Florida senator mounted a defense of former President Trump during a CNN interview, pushing back on claims that the former president has close ties with the Heritage Foundation think tank’s Project 2025. The former president late last week wrote on Truth Social that he has “nothing to do with” the project, which includes several former Trump administration officials.
Mr. Rubio also said he is fine with the former president’s platform around abortion, which is more focused on states’ rights.
“Our platform has to reflect our nominee, and our nominee’s position happens to be one grounded in reality,” Mr. Rubio told CNN, adding that “voters at individual states who will get to decide how and to what level they want to restrict abortion, if at all.”
Later in the interview, he characterized the former president as the “only one pro-life candidate in this race” in response to questions about removing a federal abortion ban from the Republican Party’s platform. “You can’t pass a federal law now even if we wanted to,” he said.
“We’ll let the media know if I ever get that call,” he said. “But most importantly, we’re just trying to work to elect Donald Trump. Whoever his vice president is, he’s got a lot of good people he could choose from.”
The Epoch Times contacted the Trump campaign for comment on Tuesday.
