Former President Donald Trump has indicated the possibility of choosing a woman as his vice-presidential running mate if he wins the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election. He expressed this during an interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker, stating, “I like the concept, but we’re going to pick the best person. But I do like the concept, yes.” Trump is currently the leading candidate for the Republican nomination, enjoying an average of 56.6 percent support according to RealClearPolitics.
He also took the time to acknowledge several top female Republican officials who have been subjects of speculation around the VP pick. One name that stood out was South Dakota’s Republican Governor Kristi Noem. Trump praised Noem’s governance and her endorsement of him, saying, “She’s been a great governor. She gave me a very full-throated endorsement, a beautiful endorsement actually… 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, however, has been in the news recently for allegations of an extramarital affair with Corey Lewandowski, one of Trump’s longtime political advisors.
In the same interview, Trump, who is 77 years old, addressed concerns about his cognitive health. He signaled his willingness to take a cognitive test to assess his mental fitness for the presidency, a topic that has been brought up in criticism of President Joe Biden, who is 80 years old and whom Trump is expected to run against should they both win their respective nominations.
Trump stated, “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.” He also added his personal opinion about Biden, saying, “I don’t think Biden’s too old. But I think he’s incompetent, and that’s a bigger problem.”
