Trump Promises To Announce VP Pick ‘Soon’—But Holds Off On Announcing Presidential Bid

Topline

Former President Donald Trump, who has not yet declared whether he will run for office again in 2024, said Tuesday he will announce his pick for a vice presidential running mate “very soon,” as he is set to make a “big announcement” next week that is widely believed to be the kickoff for his return to presidential politics.

Key Facts

When asked by reporters on election night who he would pick as his running mate, Trump said, “I’ll let you know very soon.”

Trump said at a rally in Ohio on Monday he will make a “very big announcement” at his Florida home on November 15, which is largely expected to be the announcement of his third presidential campaign.

The former president was reportedly considering announcing his candidacy at the Ohio rally, just one day before the midterm elections, but he said he chose to hold off as to not “detract from the importance of tomorrow.”

Trump also said Tuesday that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) “would be making a mistake” to run for president in 2024, and even threatened to tell “things about him that won’t be very flattering,”—though he did say he voted for DeSantis for governor.

Tangent

Some Republicans tried to talk Trump out of announcing a presidential run before Tuesday’s midterm elections, fearing his return to the presidential arena could boost Democratic turnout, the Washington Post reported on Monday.

Key Background

Trump’s relationship with his former vice president, Mike Pence, was severed at the end of his administration, when Pence refused Trump’s demands to overturn his 2020 election loss. A former aide to Trump’s chief of staff Mike Meadows, Cassidy Hutchinson, testified earlier this year to the congressional committee investigating the insurrection on January 6 that when rioters were chanting “hang Mike Pence,” Trump told aides that Pence “deserves” it.

Further Reading

Trump Stops Short Of Announcing 2024 Presidential Run At Pre-Midterm Rally—But Teases ‘Very Big Announcement’ Next Week (Forbes)