‘Who Is Going to Be a Good President?’: Donald Trump Names Tim Scott and Kristi Noem as VP Contenders

Donald Trump, on a Sunday show on Fox, mentioned by name South Carolina senator Tim Scott and South Dakota governor Kristi Noem as two possibilities for his vice-president pick but was unwilling to offer a time frame beyond saying the selection will not occur “for a little while.”

Trump went on to explain his philosophy for the pending selection, one that focuses on promoting an individual who could lead the country should something happen to him.

Anders Hagstrom reports for Fox News:

Trump made the comments in an interview with Bartiromo that aired on “Sunday Morning Futures.” He said the most important factor is to ensure his running mate would be able to step up and handle the presidency in the case of an emergency.

“What criteria are you using to identify who your running mate is?” Bartiromo asked.

“Always it’s gotta be who is going to be a good president. Obviously you always have to think that, because in case of emergency. Things happen, right? No matter who you are, things happen. That’s gotta be number one,” Trump responded.

Describing Tim Scott, Trump said, “I called Tim Scott and people like Tim Scott, and I said, ‘You’re a much better candidate for me than you are for yourself.’ When I watched him, he was fine. He was good, but he was very low-key.”

Scott endorsed Trump in the lead-up to the New Hampshire primary and could be seen awkwardly grinning over the former president’s shoulder during a post-primary victory speech in the Granite State.

Despite Scott’s full-throated endorsement of Trump, the former president has made sure to make frequent cracks at Scott during his speeches, the quip that Scott is campaigning better for Trump than he did for himself being one example of many. If Trump is looking for an empty suit, a yes-man, it appears that Scott would certainly oblige him.

As for Kristi Noem, Trump described her as “incredible fighting for me.” “She said, ‘I’d never run against him because I’d never win.’ That was a very nice thing to say.” If airtime indicates intent, it’s worth mentioning that Scott received significantly more and was Trump’s lead mention. Noem’s affair with former Trump-campaign manager Corey Lewandowski is reported to have caused her star to fade somewhat. That said, the allegations did not stop her from appearing in Iowa and New Hampshire to stump for the former president’s cause.

The final named option was RFK Jr., a name raised by host Maria Bartiromo as someone whom the Trump campaign was rumored to have talked to about a VP arrangement. Trump was quick to shoot that down, saying the call “never happened.”