Several Trump running mate contenders have received vetting materials as search heats up
By Kristen Holmes and Kate Sullivan, CNN
(CNN) — Vetting materials have been sent to several candidates under consideration to be former President Donald Trump’s running mate, according to a person familiar with the process, as the quest to round out the 2024 Republican ticket heats up ahead of next month’s national party convention.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance are among those who were sent the vetting materials, another source familiar with the process said.
Earlier Wednesday, Rubio said he hadn’t talked to the Trump campaign about being vice president but added, “I am sure once they make a decision, they will let everyone know.”
People familiar with the deliberations caution that Trump’s search for a running mate is still in flux. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson have also been sent various levels of paperwork in the vetting process, according to two sources familiar with the process.
Sources insist that the vetting process would look different for each person. “A number of prospective candidates have exchanged documents or have had conversations with the team,” one senior Trump adviser told CNN, adding, “The level of conversations and the level of documents have varied widely.”
The campaign emphasized that only Trump would make the final decision.
“Anyone claiming to know who or when President Trump will choose his VP is lying, unless the person is named Donald J. Trump,” another senior Trump adviser, Brian Hughes, said.
NBC News was first to report that the vetting materials had been sent out.
Trump has floated a lengthy list of names in recent months and routinely asks allies, donors and members of his Mar-a-Lago resort for their opinion. He routinely praises many of these contenders publicly at his campaign rallies and in interviews.
Many of the potential picks have spent recent weeks publicly demonstrating their loyalty to Trump, including appearing with him at court for his New York criminal hush money trial and defending him on television. Trump was ultimately found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records.
In an interview with Newsmax on Tuesday, Trump mentioned Scott, Burgum, Rubio, Vance and Carson when asked about his search for a potential running mate.
“We have some unbelievable people,” the former president said as he rattled off the names. “But I think I’m going to hold it.”
Trump said in an interview with TMJ4 News last month there was a “pretty good chance” he would announce his running mate at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which is slated to take place from July 15 to 18.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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