Trump on VP Pick ‘I’d Love to Do It During the Convention’
(Reuters)
Former President Donald Trump spoke with “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday, discussing his thoughts on selecting a new vice presidential running mate. The three candidates thought to be in the final running are Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), and Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), each presenting unique challenges.
Trump was asked about the primary obstacle to Rubio being the choice: the 12th Amendment, which prohibits electors from voting for a president and vice president from the same state. This issue could be circumvented by Trump moving his residency back to New York, but it remains a hassle. “It’s not a deal-breaker, but it does make it more complicated. You know, you do that, and it makes it more complicated. There are people that don’t have that complication,” Trump said on Forbes.
Regarding Burgum, who ran against Trump in the 2024 primary, Trump expressed reservations due to the near-total abortion ban Burgum signed in his state. While Trump appointed the Supreme Court that ended Roe v. Wade, he has recently emphasized that each state should decide on abortion laws, suggesting some post-Roe bans may be too strict. “It’s a little bit of an issue,” Trump admitted.
When it came to Vance, Trump had little negative to say, dismissing a recent report that he was turned off by Vance’s facial hair and praising him as looking like “a young Abraham Lincoln.” Trump has also considered the idea of waiting until the convention to unveil his running mate. “I’d love to do it during the convention,” he said. “You know, in the old days, they did it during the convention, and it kept the convention very exciting, actually. So we’ll see about that.” As the convention approaches, the decision on Trump’s vice presidential pick remains a topic of intense speculation, with each potential candidate bringing different advantages and complications to the table.
