Trump’s potential VP picks are in Atlanta for presidential debate

McKenna Jensen
·2 min read
5
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd at a campaign rally, Saturday, June 22, 2024, at Temple University in Philadelphia. Trump says he knows who he will choose for his vice president, and his pick will be present for the debate.
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd at a campaign rally, Saturday, June 22, 2024, at Temple University in Philadelphia. Trump says he knows who he will choose for his vice president, and his pick will be present for the debate. | Chris Szagola
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As Election Day approaches, former President Donald Trump is in the final stages of choosing his running mate. His potential vice presidential aspirants have been teased by his team and could be announced at any time.

The New York Times reported that the former president has shown primary interest in Sens. J.D. Vance of Ohio and Marco Rubio of Florida, along with North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, but he continues to weigh other options with his advisers.

This combination photo shows the shortlist of vice presidential contenders former President Donald Trump has selected as he prepares to announce his pick in the days before, or perhaps at, next month's Republican National Convention. Pictured from left are North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ben Carson, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio. | Associated Press

Republican strategists have noted that there are transparent advantages for Trump to announce his vice president pick during the highly anticipated debate with President Joe Biden, scheduled for Thursday night in Atlanta. According to ABC News, the three leading competitors for VP will be attending the debate and participating in various campaign events.

A Trump campaign fundraising email teased the idea by saying, “Do you want to see my Vice President at the debate? They could be there, but you’ll never know until I make the OFFICIAL VP ANNOUNCEMENT!”

“The debate will be a chance for his potential picks to prove themselves, as they have been tasked with ... defending his performance in front of a throng of cable news cameras and political reporters,” per The New York Times.

Although timing is not yet final, sources cautioned that the awaited announcement could occur anytime from now until shortly before the Republican convention in mid-July, per NBC News.

NBC News also reported that Trump said he knows who he will choose, and his VP will be present for the debate, making one of the three in attendance highly likely to be his running mate.

“As President Trump has said himself, the top criteria in selecting a vice president is a strong leader who will make a great president for eight years after his next four-year term concludes,” Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes said in a statement. “But anyone telling you they know who or when President Trump will choose his VP is lying unless that person is named Donald J. Trump,” per The Hill.