Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., is running for president against Donald Trump… but the two conservatives may soon find themselves on the same campaign.
Trump was asked Sunday about considering Scott as a running mate. “I could see Tim doing something with the administration,” Trump said on Fox News.
On Wednesday, Scott responded… and he flipped the question.
Paul Steinhauser of Fox News Digital told Scott, “The former president on Fox News over the weekend said some nice things about you, also said that, if he wins re-election and is back in the White House, there may be a place for Tim Scott in his administration. Your thoughts?”
Scott said, jokingly, “I think he’s overqualified to be my vice president.”
Three days before, Trump predicted this response from Scott.
“Tim is very good,” Trump said Sunday. “But he’s in right now campaigning, and I’m sure Tim and everybody else would say, ‘I’m only interested in one thing.’ But Tim is a talented guy, and you have other very talented people.”
The former president made those remarks during an interview with Sunday Morning Futures host Maria Bartiromo.
Bartiromo asked, “Is there anyone on that [debate] stage you see as a potential running mate, as your VP?”
“Possibly, yeah. I mean, I think you have some good people on that stage, actually. I think you have some very talented people. I’ve been impressed by some of them. Some of them I’m very friendly with, actually. A number of them called me up, not to ask for permission, but sort of to ask for permission, to say they’d like to do it. A number of the people up there, I’m not going to embarrass them by saying who. I think you have good people. I think you have good potential Cabinet members, too.”
Trump also seemed impressed with the presidential campaign of author Vivek Ramaswamy, and he expressed regret with some members of his old Cabinet, like Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
“Esper, I didn’t like him,” Trump said. “He was incompetent, I thought.”
Bartiromo followed up, “Do you see yourself, perhaps, with the senator, Tim Scott?”
“I think he’s a very good guy,” Trump responded. “We did Opportunity Zones together. It’s never been talked about. It’s one of the most successful economic development things ever done in this country.”
In 2017, Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including a provision for Opportunity Zones.
After Trump’s comment, Scott touted his relationship with the former president, but the senator also remained focused on his own campaign.
“I will simply say this — the former president is a good guy,” Scott said.
“We get along really well. At the end of the day I am running because I believe America can do for anyone what she has done for me. We’re going to continue to restore hope, create opportunities, and protect the America we love.”
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