BEAUFORT, South Carolina — Nearly all of the potential running mates on Donald Trump’s vice presidential shortlist have in the past confirmed or signaled that they would be open to serving as his No. 2.
Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem are all possible Trump VP contenders, the former president told Fox News host Laura Ingraham Tuesday night.
Of that group, only DeSantis has clearly ruled out serving alongside Trump, reiterating Wednesday in a private call shared with The Post that he would be “not doing that” but could see himself running again for the White House in 2028.
Noem has been the most vocal in committing to being Trump’s running mate. She was one of the first governors to endorse his re-election, has campaigned for him and told Newsmax back in September that she would be his VP “in a heart beat.”
Gabbard, the only other woman on the list provided by Ingraham, has also said she would be open to the possibility.
“I’d be open to that conversation. My mission in life is to serve our country and serve the American people and find the best way to be able to do that,” Gabbard told Fox News last week.
Donalds has also indicated he would be open to a VP proposition.
The representative told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that “wants to do whatever I can to get our country back on track” and that “with respect to being potentially on the ticket, that’s really up to the president.”
Scott and Ramaswamy, who both dropped out of the 2024 race and endorsed Trump have campaigned with the former president. Both former candidates appeared on stage alongside Trump after his New Hampshire victory and have been vocal about him needing to be back in the White House.
Scott recently refused to rule out being VP, but appeared to be lukewarm on the prospect, at least publicly.
“The only thing I want is four more years of Donald Trump and a Republican majority in the Senate, majority in the House and the White House so that poor kids, who are today growing up in neighborhoods like I grew up in, have a chance for quality education,” Scott said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
The senator added that he wants American children to believe that “America is their oyster” and that “they can have whatever they want,” and that he would do whatever that takes.
“If I can help achieve that through my endorsement by being on the campaign trail in my home state of South Carolina for the next four or five weeks and then beyond — that’s the goal,” he added.
For Ramaswamy, the veepstakes could be at play, as he has stayed silent on the issue since dropping out after Iowa and endorsing Trump. During the race, he insisted he was not a “plan B option.”
His spokesperson did not respond to an inquiry from The Post about being VP.
Trump’s top adviser Jason Miller told The Post that the biotech mogul was “basically” ruled out from being VP after Trump attacked him in a Truth Social post before Iowa.
But since then, Ramaswamy delivered remarks for Trump in South Carolina on Wednesday and has been seen with the former president at Mar-a-Lago.
South Carolina voters told The Post they would largely be open to whoever Trump picks, but that they do have some favorites.
Donald Harris, a Trump supporter attending Lara Trump’s speech in Beaufort, said he would “like to see Vivek” as VP “because of his strong stance on how he can stand for what he believes.”
“We can’t afford a person these days who would bend to special interests, who would bend to donors and things like that,” Harris said, noting that he also “kind of likes” Gabbard.
Terry Davies, another supporter at the event, said “Kristi Noem would be first pick” because “she’s been a strong backer for a very long time” and “runs a strong state.”
His wife, Laura Davies, said she likes Ramaswamy
“He dropped out very quickly and stood by President Trump and really helped get his message out,” she said, noting that she also likes Scott, who is “phenomenal” in South Carolina.