As the Republican convention nears, Donald Trump’s presidential campaign significantly escalated the selection process for his running mate this week.
Trump’s campaign just requested information from a small handful of potential vice presidential candidates to begin their vetting process.
Among those left on Trump’s shortlist are: North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, and Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio.
There may be others remaining on the shortlist that haven’t been contacted yet, but Trump’s campaign is keeping that information close to the vest.
The quiet outreach to the three top candidates intensified last month even as the former president was consumed with his high-profile criminal trial in New York, according to ABC News.
When asked, the Trump campaign against stated that the former president himself will make the ultimate decision on his VP pick.
“Anyone claiming to know who or when President Trump will choose his VP is lying, unless the person is named Donald J. Trump,” stated senior campaign adviser Brian Hughes told Fox News.
While the trio of Burgum, Rubio, and Vance appear to be frontrunners at this stage, the campaign has also requested some level of information from several other potential contenders.
Senator Tim Scott, Representatives Byron Donalds and Elise Stefanik, and former HUD Secretary Ben Carson have all reportedly provided requested information to the Trump campaign.
Rubio, however, denied receiving any direct contact about vetting for VP when asked by ABC News on Wednesday, stating: “I haven’t talked to them about vice president.”
Trump has previously said he plans to announce his running mate close to the Republican National Convention in mid-July.
Those at the top of the VP shortlist have recently raised their public profiles by appearing at Trump’s Manhattan trial, defending him on cable news, and making other political moves.
Burgum appeared at the courthouse during Trump’s legal fight, and joined Trump and his son Donald Jr. shortly before the verdict in a signal of his commitment to the Republican 2024 presidental ticket. Vance also made a supportive appearance during the proceedings.
The quiet vetting requests this week clearly reflect the frontrunner preferences, though the list remains fluid.
Issues like Rubio potentially needing to change his Florida residency to join the ticket are also being weighed behind the scenes, sources said.
With decision day just weeks away, the vetting paperwork marks a dramatic new phase of Trump’s VP search as his team narrows the shortlist before he makes his defining choice for a running mate.