DES MOINES, Iowa — Former President Donald Trump revealed Wednesday night that he has already selected a running mate for his 2024 presidential bid but declined to disclose who it is, fueling speculation about who he could tap for the Republican ticket.
Trump made the comments during a Fox News town hall event in Des Moines ahead of Monday’s Iowa caucuses, the first nominating contest of the 2024 election cycle. When asked by moderator Martha MacCallum if he had picked a running mate, Trump responded, “Well, I can’t tell you that really. I mean, I know who it’s going to be.”
The admission marks the first time Trump has stated outright that he has made a definitive decision on a running mate for 2024, should he secure the Republican nomination again. Rumored potentials include South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and New York Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Trump joked he could even choose former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a vocal critic who recently exited the 2024 Republican primary race. “Oh, sure. I will, I will,” Trump quipped when asked if he’d be open to reconciling with former rivals. “I’ve already started to like Christie better.”
The former president gave little indication of who he might tap, preferring to keep his choice close to the vest for now. But he asserted confidence in selecting qualified individuals for posts in a potential second administration, saying he’s gotten to “know the best, the smart ones, and the weak ones” in Washington.
Noem, who has not ruled out accepting the vice presidential nod if offered, would be an unconventional but buzzworthy pick. The South Dakota governor has emerged as a rising star in Republican circles and visited early voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire, doing little to dampen speculation. “It’s highly offensive to think I would go through all of this to run for vice president,” Noem told the New Hampshire Union Leader last week. “I am fighting to become president and I’m going to win.”
Carlson, whose Fox News show draws millions of loyal conservative viewers each night, could also make strategic sense for Trump. The media savvy and combative television personality would excite elements of the Republican base. But his lack of political experience could become a liability.
Sanders and Stefanik are safer, more traditional choices for Trump. Both have proven their fealty to him, with Sanders serving loyally in his administration and Stefanik defending him passionately during his two impeachments. Their governing experience could balance Trump’s outsider credentials.
Regardless of whom he picks, Trump will likely opt for a running mate who is both ideologically in sync with his “America First” worldview and willing to remain in his shadow. That could rule out prospective candidates with their own national ambitions, as Trump prizes loyalty above all else.
The speculation comes as Trump holds a commanding position in early 2024 polls while fending off primary challenges from Noem, Christie, Ted Cruz, Mike Pence and Nikki Haley, among others. Haley, Trump’s former UN ambassador, has emerged as one of his most vocal critics within the party and represents his most formidable competition so far.
At Wednesday’s Iowa debate, Haley rebuked Trump for skipping the event, saying, “He’s the one I’m running against. He’s the one I wish would be here. He needs to be defending his record.” Trump remains the heavy favorite to win Iowa and cement his frontrunner status, with polls showing him leading by double digits.
While Haley has adamantly denied angling for the vice presidential nomination, Trump selecting her could be an effective tactic to build party unity after a fractious primary. But it remains improbable given their increasingly bitter clashes over the airwaves and on the stump.
For now, the identity of Trump’s purported running mate choice is one of the 2024 campaign’s most closely held secrets. But the former president is clearly relishing dangling the possibility before the media and his supporters as he lays the groundwork for another White House bid.
