On 23 May, former President Donald Trump, the presumptive nominee of the Republicans for the 2024 US presidential election, named four candidates that he selected as potential Vice Presidents. They include Sen. J.D. Vance from Ohio, Sen. Marco Rubio from Florida, OP presidential candidate Ben Carson, and Rep. Elise Stefanik from New York.
Revealing only four names, Trump chose not to disclose the top candidate as there were already “so many” in an interview with News 12 New York. Nevertheless, he mentioned all were doing “fantastic work.” He would formally announce the potential vice president at the July Republican National Convention.
While some candidates have been a part of campaigns and speeches on his behalf, others have also offered Trump their support during his criminal trial. Various criteria, such as that of loyalty, and racial and gender diversity, come into play while selecting the candidates.
Other possible candidates for Vice President
Even so, among all the candidates, Dr Ben Carson has the closest association with Trump, given that he was the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Along with Dr Carson, Nikki Haley also appears as a potential candidate.
She was previously the US Ambassador to the United Nations during Trump’s presidency. Her presidential campaign ended in early 2024. Despite her comments denouncing Trump during the Republican nomination, this week, she publicly showed support for Trump through her remarks.
When asked about the same, Trump replied, “We have a lot of the same ideas and same thoughts. I appreciate what she said. I know we had a nasty campaign, it was pretty nasty, but she is a very capable person and I am sure she is going to be on our team in some form.”
As per the New York Times, US Army veteran and Arkansas Senator Tim Cotton is also a “top candidate,” wherein Trump has acknowledged Cotton’s reliability and effective communication. Previously, in February 2024, Trump also mentioned Governor Kristi Noem and Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina as a part of his list.
