Former President Donald Trump recently welcomed several potential vice presidential candidates to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for discussions on potential running mates. Among those who made the trip were Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and J.D. Vance (R-OH), as well as Governor Kristi Noem (R-SD) and Representatives Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Byron Donalds (R-FL). While Trump had positive feedback for most of the candidates, some concerns were raised during the meetings, as per audio obtained by the Washington Post.
Vance, who had been critical of Trump in the past but has since become a strong supporter, received praise from Trump for his performance. Trump highlighted Vance’s evolution from skeptic to ally, emphasizing the importance of loyalty in his decision-making for a potential running mate. In contrast, Scott was commended for his surrogate role but was criticized for being perceived as dull, potentially affecting his chances in the running for the vice presidential position.
The issue of selecting a running mate from Florida, given Trump’s residency in the state, also came up during the discussions. Trump acknowledged the dilemma of potentially sacrificing Florida’s electoral votes if he were to choose a candidate from the state. Options such as changing residency or having the running mate do so were considered to address this “minor Florida problem.”
Overall, the meetings at Mar-a-Lago provided insight into Trump’s thoughts on the potential vice presidential candidates, highlighting considerations of loyalty, performance, and electoral implications in the decision-making process.
