During a Saturday interview with NBC News, former President Donald Trump reportedly suggested that he may pick a woman as his vice presidential running mate if he wins the Republican nomination.
NBC News published a report about an interview with Kristen Welker in which Trump suggested that he “liked the concept” of picking a woman as his running mate. Trump is the leading candidate for the Republican nomination with an average of 56.6% support, according to RealClearPolitics.
“I like the concept, but we’re going to pick the best person. But I do like the concept, yes,” said Trump when asked if he was leaning towards choosing a woman. Trump also said that does not “think too much about it.”
Trump also mentioned several female top Republican elected officials across the country, several of whom have been subject to speculation around the VP pick. Specifically, Trump discussed Republican Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota.
“She’s been a great governor. She gave me a very full-throated endorsement, a beautiful endorsement actually,” Trump said, referring to a recent rally in South Dakota where he was endorsed by Noem. “And, you know, it’s been a very good state for me. And certainly, she’d be one of the people I’d consider, or for something else maybe. But we have a lot of people. We have a lot of great people in the Republican Party.”
Noem, who is married with children, has recently faced scrutiny over an alleged extramarital affair with one of Trump’s longtime political advisors, Corey Lawandowski, according to reports by the Daily Mail and The New York Post. Noem has denied the allegations.
Trump also discussed his own cognitive health. The 77-year-old has faced some scrutiny over his age, similar to criticism of President Joe Biden, aged 80, whom Trump is expected to face in 2024 should they win their respective nominations.
Trump, however, signaled that he would be willing to take a cognitive test to determine his mental fitness for the presidency.
“You know, I took a test two years ago, three years ago. And as the doctors said — and it was in front of doctors and a whole big deal at Walter Reed [hospital], which is an incredible place. And I aced it. I get everything right. I’m all for testing. I frankly think testing would be a good thing,” Trump said.
“I don’t think Biden’s too old,” Trump added. “But I think he’s incompetent, and that’s a bigger problem.”
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