Former president Donald Trump said Saturday that his former Republican primary rival Nikki Haley is not on his shortlist of vice presidential contenders, despite recent media reporting to the contrary.
“Nikki Haley is not under consideration for the V.P. slot, but I wish her well!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The message came shortly after Axios reported that Haley is “under active consideration” by team Trump to serve as the former president’s running mate.
“The GOP rivals’ relationship remains chilly, but Trump could pick Haley if he were convinced she’d help him win the presidency, avoid a potential prison sentence and cover tens of millions in legal bills if he loses,” the report indicated.
The report laid out several reasons Trump could turn to Haley as a potential running mate, including her strength with donors who are wary of Trump and her popularity with college-educated Republicans who supported her in the primary.
Haley, who hasn’t endorsed Trump, received more than 20 percent of the vote in Indiana’s primary on Tuesday. That election allowed Democrats and independents to vote in the GOP primary.
Before Haley dropped out of the race, she indicated the prospect of her serving as Trump’s VP was “off the table.” Trump, for his part, said at that time that he would not pick Haley. “She is OK, but she is not presidential timber. And when I say that, that probably means she is not going to be chosen as the vice president.”
And many in Trump’s inner circle seem strongly opposed to Haley serving as Trump’s running mate. Donald Trump Jr., said last year that he would “go to great lengths to make sure” Haley would not become the VP pick.
Upon dropping out of the race in March, Haley said it would be on Trump to “earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him, and I hope he does that.”
“At its best, politics is about bringing people into your cause, not turning them away. And our conservative cause badly needs more people. This is now his time for choosing,” Haley said, an apparent reference to Trump’s having said he would “permanently” ban anyone who donated to Haley from the MAGA camp.
But shortly thereafter, when he was asked about attempts to unify the party and bring more moderate voters into the MAGA fold, Trump insisted Haley’s voters would get on board but raised doubts that he needs them.
“They’re going to all vote for me again,” Trump told reporters. “I’m not sure we need too many.”
President Biden, meanwhile, issued a more even-keeled appeal to Haley’s voters. “Donald Trump made it clear he doesn’t want Nikki Haley’s supporters. I want to be clear: There is a place for them in my campaign,” he said at the time.
Meanwhile, Axios also reported last month that North Dakota governor Doug Burgum is “quickly moving up” Trump’s list of possible vice presidential picks.
Trump has indicated he plans to name a running mate shortly before the Republican National Convention in July.