Donald Trump says his 2024 running mate will be at the CNN debate in Atlanta on Thursday.
The former president revealed that he has chosen who will run for vice president among Republicans in November, but that the person he decided on doesn’t even know it yet.
Trump was asked by reporters before his rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Saturday if he had decided on a running mate with just over four months until the election.
“In my opinion, yes,” Trump responded.
Asked if he had already informed the person he was his pick for vice president, Trump said, “No, no one knows.”
Donald Trump said his vice presidential pick “probably” will be in Thursday’s debate and said he hasn’t told anyone who decided to join his ticket in November.
Trump heads to Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday for his first debate with President Joe Biden in the 2024 general election race.
The debate is one of the earliest of the election cycle in modern history and comes just a month after the former president was found guilty in Manhattan on 34 felony counts related to the payment of money made to porn star Stormy Daniels. before the 2016 elections.
Triumph told NBC News that his choice “most likely” will be in Thursday’s debate.
Trump’s vice presidential selection has ramped up in the weeks leading up to the debate and the July 15-18 Republican National Convention.
Over the past few months, Trump has been very seriously considering a list of eight Republicans to join him on the ballot in November, his campaign confirmed to several media outlets.
The short list included; North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (R), Senator JS Vance (R-Ohio), Senator Tim Scott (RS.C.), Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Senator Tom Cotton ( R-Ark.), Rep. Elise Stfanik (R-N.Y.), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and former Trump Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson.
Among the short list for vice president are some pre-2024 candidates, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (pictured) and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.
While Trump has praised all of these individuals and others, saying they would make good choices, he has also downplayed the impact his running mate will have on his election.
“It’s never had this much of an effect on an election,” Trump told Fox earlier this year.
Several candidates have received research materials from the Trump campaign in recent weeks.
Trump has said he may publicly reveal his pick for the No. 2 spot at the Republican Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Immediately after the debate, Trump will head directly to Virginia for a rally on Friday outside Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
Meanwhile, Biden will head straight to North Carolina for a rally and Vice President Kamala Harris will head to Nevada for an event on mobilizing Latino voters. Both North Carolina and Nevada are essentially battleground states for Biden if he wants to win re-election.
