Trump says long VP shortlist includes Vivek, Tim Scott & Ron DeSantis

WASHINGTON: Indian-American biotech entrepreneur-turned-politician Vivek Ramaswamy is amongst the names that former president and Republican frontrunner Donald Trump is considering as his running mate for the 2024 presidential polls.

During a Fox News town hall event on Tuesday, the host asked Trump about six possible choices for his vice presidential shortlist when he rattled off the names of South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard, Vivek Ramaswamy, Florida Representative Byron Donalds, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, a report in Politico.com said.

Trump, 77, did not name another Indian-American politician, Nikky Haley, who is still in the race.

Incidentally, following his poor showing in Iowa caucuses in mid-January, Ramaswamy, 38, had not just backed out as a Republican presidential candidate but also backed its winner Trump.

When the Fox News town hall event host Laura Ingraham asked him, “Are they all on your shortlist?” Trump said, “They are. Honestly, all of those people are good. They’re all good, they’re all solid.” Earlier in August 2023, Ramaswamy had hinted at being Trump’s running mate if he did not win the Republican nomination.

Late on Tuesday, the news portal drew attention to how Trump is known to talk off the cuff, and it would be surprising if he were to pick DeSantis.

“Trump and DeSantis spent a year savaging each other before DeSantis dropped out of the presidential race following a disappointing second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses. DeSantis, however, has since endorsed Trump. Trump has also stopped attacking the governor and has retired the “DeSanctimonious” nickname he had given him,” the report said.

However, during the Town Hall, Trump singled out Scott, who was in the audience for most praise as it said, “Tim Scott, he has been much better for me than he was for himself. I watched his campaign, and he doesn’t like talking about himself. But boy does he talk about Trump. … I called him and I said, ‘Tim, you’re better for me than you were for yourself,’” the portal said.

Haley, 52, has refused to quit and vowed to stay in the party’s race to the White House even after the South Carolina primary this weekend, where her rival Trump is leading far ahead of her. The former governor of South Carolina is reportedly facing a tough race on her home turf.