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Former President Donald Trump has reportedly ruled out businessman Vivek Ramaswamy as a potential running mate, but would still consider him for a cabinet post if re-elected, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the New York Post on Tuesday (March 19).
Ramaswamy dropped out of the Republican presidential race on January 15 and immediately endorsed Trump, who has since secured the party's nomination. The former president confirmed that Ramaswamy was among the shortlist of candidates he considered for potential running mates during a town hall event in Greenville, South Carolina, with FOX News' Laura Ingraham on February 20.
Ingraham included the businessman while rattling off a list of potential names, which also included fellow former Republican primary candidates Sen. Tim Scott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, as well as Rep. Byron Donalds, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard.
“They’re all solid,” Trump added. “And I always say I want people with common sense because there’s so many things happening in this country that don’t make sense.”
Trump said that the "first quality" he was looking for while considering running mates was their ability to be “a good president because if something should happen, you have to have somebody that’s going to be a great president," but acknowledged his belief that primary voters cared more about the name on top of the ticket rather than the running mate.
“The one thing that always surprises me is that the VP choice has absolutely no impact,” Trump said. “It’s whoever the president is, it just seems.”
Trump had previously teased that he'd already decided on his running mate during a previous town hall in Des Moines, Iowa, in January.