Trump says long VP shortlist includes Tim Scott, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy

Former President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that at least half a dozen names are on his vice presidential shortlist — a list ranging from South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.

During a Fox News town hall event, host Laura Ingraham asked Trump about six possible choices for his running mate: DeSantis, Scott, biotech entrepreneur and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Gabbard.

“Are they all on your shortlist?” she asked.

“They are,” Trump said, before adding: “Honestly all of those people are good. They’re all good, they’re all solid.”

Trump is known to talk off the cuff, and it would be surprising if he were to pick DeSantis. Trump and DeSantis spent a year savaging each other, before DeSantis dropped out of the presidential race following a disappointing second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses. DeSantis, however, has since endorsed Trump. Trump has also stopped attacking the governor and has retired the “DeSanctimonious” nickname he had given him.

Trump on Tuesday evening singled out Scott, who was in the audience, for the most praise. Scott, who dropped out of the Republican primary last year and later endorsed Trump, has been aggressively campaigning for Trump in his home state ahead of South Carolina’s Feb. 24 primary.

“A lot of people are talking about that gentleman right over there,” Trump said, gesturing to Scott. “He’s been such a great advocate. I have to say this in a very positive way, Tim Scott, he has been much better for me than he was for himself. I watched his campaign, and he doesn’t like talking about himself. But boy does he talk about Trump. … I called him and I said, ‘Tim, you’re better for me than you were for yourself.’”