If Trump is the Republican Nominee, Who Should his VP Be?

by Sharon Rondeau

(Dec. 7, 2023) — Following the fourth and final Republican presidential primary debate Wednesday evening In Tuscaloosa, AL, a conversation took place Thursday morning on “X” regarding who Donald J. Trump should choose as his running mate should he receive the GOP nomination next summer.

As with the previous three debates, Trump chose not to participate but rather, spent time campaigning in Iowa, where the first Republican caucus will take place in mid-January.

Four candidates qualified for the more restrictive debate qualifications, with North Dakota Gov. Doug Bergum having dropped out of the race on Monday.

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former radio host Larry Elder, and several others suspended their campaigns over the last few weeks.

Just as The Post & Email took the featured screenshot, “Trump’s VP” moved up to second place on the list of trends.

While one commenter turned the topic to Kamala Harris, who currently occupies the vice-presidential office, others speculated Trump, if nominated, would choose from among several former 2024 Republican presidential candidates or someone outside that circle such as former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, who is now seeking a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Another suggested former Fox News host, independent journalist and current “X” broadcaster Tucker Carlson could be Trump’s choice stemming from an article in Axios citing a source close to the former president who reportedly claimed Trump’s wife Melania prefers him.

“Former President Trump, if elected, would build a Cabinet and White House staff based mainly on two imperatives: pre-vetted loyalty to him and a commitment to stretch legal and governance boundaries, sources who talk often with the leading GOP presidential candidate tell Axios,” the article begins.

Speculation on Carlson began last month when Carlson accompanied Trump into the arena at Madison Square Garden to attend a UFC event flanked by UFC CEO Dana White, entertainer Kid Rock and Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr.

Carlson has of late indicated he supports Trump and would donate “the maximum” to Trump’s campaign if he is convicted of any of the 91 criminal charges levied against him among four jurisdictions, including a Special Counsel investigation claiming Trump instigated the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

At 9:18 a.m., the trending topic was gone.

Axios‘s “latest intelligence,” the article continues, includes the claim Trump is considering Lake; South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem; Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump’s first White House press secretary; and Vance, who was elected in 2022; Florida Rep. Byron Donalds and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

“But here’s an interesting twist:”, the article further states. “Melania Trump is an advocate for picking Tucker Carlson, the booted Fox News star. She thinks Carlson would make a powerful onstage extension of her husband, a source close to Trump told us. The former first lady has made few campaign appearances this time around — but a Trump-Carlson ticket might encourage her to hit the trail.”

The writers caution that if re-elected, “Trump would fill the most powerful jobs in government with men like Stephen Miller, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio and Kash Patel — with the possible return of Steve Bannon. If Trump won in 2024, he’d turn to loyalists who share his zeal to punish critics, purge non-believers, and take controversial legal and military action, the sources tell us.”

On November 29, attorney and Fox News commentator Leo Terrell opposed the idea of current presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, who was Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, becoming Trump’s choice, while another observer on Thursday predicted it.

Another commenter advocated for retired neurosurgeon and Trump’s Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Dr. Benjamin Carson.

Yet others suggested “X” owner and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk could be Trump’s choice.