Report: Trump Campaign Accelerates Vice Presidential Candidate Vetting

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Facts

• Former Pres. Donald Trump's campaign reportedly requested detailed information on at least four candidates to be his vice president, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott — all of whom Trump mentioned during an interview with Newsmax.¹
• Some media outlets reported there are even more candidates on the list, including Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, Rep. Elise Stefanik from New York, and Ben Carson, the former Trump administration Housing and Urban Development secretary.²
• Trump has said it's most likely he'll announce his pick around the time of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in mid-July. That's around the same time Trump tabbed eventual vice president Mike Pence during the 2016 campaign.³
• Trump campaign spokesperson Brian Hughes issued a statement saying no one other than Trump knows who the presumptive Republican nominee is going to pick, and those 'claiming to know' who he'll pick are 'lying.'⁴
• In recent weeks, several candidates to be Trump's running mate have increased their public profile by vocally defending him in the media and even outside the Manhattan courthouse during Trump's New York trial.⁵

Sources: ¹USA Today, ²FOX News, ³Politico, ⁴Associated Press and ⁵ABC News.

Narratives

• Anti-Trump narrative, as provided by Independent. It says a lot about the debasement of the Republican Party that fresh off Trump becoming the first former president to be criminally prosecuted and convicted there are still so many jockeying to be his No. 2. It's no surprise that he's reportedly looking for someone who's loyal to him, can raise money, and looks good on television rather than someone competent. His list is also predominantly men.
• Pro-Trump narrative, as provided by Daily Mail. Trump's true short list of vice presidential picks is a diverse group in terms of gender and background, and there are numerous youthful candidates who represent the future of the GOP. With Trump leading the polling in most of the key states, being his No. 2 is a coveted position and there will be a strong ticket regardless of who he chooses.