The Trump campaign has sent vetting materials to several potential vice presidential candidates, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Hill, marking an accelerated move in the former president’s search for a running mate.
The sources said the requests were received from North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (R-North Dakota), Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-North Carolina) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), all of whom are considered front-runners to join Trump on the Republican ticket in November.
“Anyone who claims to know who President Trump will choose as his vice president or when is lying, unless that person is Donald J. Trump,” Brian Hughes, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, said in a statement.
NBC News was first to report that the campaign had sent out the research materials.
ABC News reported. The campaign has also requested information from Reps. Byron Donald (R-Fla.), Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) and Ben Carson, but it is unclear how extensive the requests will be.
The former president has been hinting for months at his choice of running mate for the November election, hinting at who was on his shortlist and suggesting he might wait until the Republican National Convention in mid-July to make an announcement.
But Burgum, Vance, Rubio and Scott have emerged as front-runners in recent weeks, with all four appearing on television just days after Trump was convicted in New York of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to defend the former president.
Trump praised both men in a phone interview with Newsmax on Tuesday when asked when he would make a decision.
“Tim Scott, I don’t think he ran as well as he could have, but he’s been unbelievable as my agent. He’s fantastic,” Trump said.
“Governor Burgum of North Dakota is great. Marco Rubio is great,” he added. “J.D. Vance is great. A lot of great people.”
Updated 6:14 p.m.
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