It seems like just yesterday that ex–presidential candidate Doug Burgum was sending $20 gift cards to his campaign’s $1 donors so he could qualify for the debate stage. Now, speculation is swirling in Washington that the North Dakota governor is rising on Trump’s list of possible vice presidential or cabinet picks.
As Rich mentioned on a recent episode of The Editors, a senior official in Trump’s orbit recently told National Review that Burgum shouldn’t be discounted as a potential VP pick, though this person added that he’s also likely to be on the “extreme short list for energy and interior” secretary, should the former president win another term.
“He’s very well regarded within the Trump circle,” this person said of Burgum, pointing to his business acumen and likable demeanor as attributes Trump favors.
Burgum also notably sat at a table with the presumptive nominee’s 2024 campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles at the $50 million Florida fundraiser hosted by billionaire John Paulson last month, a source familiar with the matter tells NR. That was prime political real estate for anyone hoping to be considered for a high-profile role in a second Trump administration.
No job is promised to anybody, and as MBD notes, the former president is mercurial. It’s entirely possible Trump will pick a running mate who is not currently in the veepstakes conversation, as the presumptive nominee’s own advisers often remind reporters.
“Any person who tells you they know who, how, or when President Trump will choose his VP is likely wrong unless that person is named Donald J. Trump,” a Trump campaign spokesperson tells NR.
But as things stand, the brainy and low-profile North Dakota governor definitely has a shot. Burgum and his wife, Kathryn, attended Trump’s Easter brunch at Mar-a-Lago in March and is one of many contenders for VP or cabinet slots who will head to Palm Beach, Fla., for this weekend’s annual Republican National Committee donor retreat, which NR scooped last month.
The list of high-profile Republican invitees heading to this weekend’s investor retreat also includes Republican senators J. D. Vance of Ohio, Tim Scott of South Carolina, and Marco Rubio of Florida, along with Representative Elise Stefanik of New York, according to Politico. (South Dakota governor Kristi Noem is also set to attend, though it’s tough to imagine this week’s puppy-slaying news cycle keeps her in consideration for vice president.)