Could Nikki Haley or Vivek Ramaswamy be Trump’s VP pick?

Donald Trump Jr. rules out Haley, but speculation rife about Indian American biotech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy

With presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump saying over the weekend that he had picked his vice presidential candidate speculation has been rampant about the former president’s choice of his running mate.

Could it be by any chance former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, the first Indian American to get a cabinet rank as US ambassador to UN under Trump, the last Republican standing against Trump in the primaries.

Or would it be Indian American biotech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, who is back in Trump’s good books since dropping out of the primary race and joining his camp.

Ramaswamy’s announcement that he would attend the Thursday debate between Trump and President Joe Biden, also spurred speculation that he might be Trump’s vice president pick as the former president mentioned that his choice would be in attendance at the debate.

However, Donald Trump Jr. ruled out Haley in a social media post Wednesday after radio show host Mark Levin said there was a “huge” last-minute push by “wealthy GOP donors and RINO corporate media” for Trump to select Haley as his running mate despite her not being on the shortlist.

“Nikki Haley, who served as the puppet of Democrat billionaires and warmongerers, would be a wonderful choice is my dad wants to get impeached within about 7 seconds of being sworn in,” Trump Jr. posted on X, while resharing Levin’s post. “She’s they’re last hope!”

Newsweek said it is unclear if Trump Jr. is aware of his father’s selection, given that Trump’s campaign warned that anyone “claiming to know who or when President Trump will choose his VP is lying unless the person is named Donald J. Trump.”

However, Trump himself ruled Haley out of the running in May, so Republicans can anticipate that she won’t be his top choice, Newsweek noted. The former president posted on Truth Social at the time: “Nikki Haley is not under consideration for the VP slot, but I wish her well! DJT.”

Many Republicans anticipate Trump to announce his selection at the Republican National Convention, which will be held July 15-18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In February, Trump confirmed that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Senator Tim Scott, Representative Byron Donalds, Ramaswamy, and former House Democrat Tulsi Gabbard were all on his shortlist. Other widely-tipped candidates include North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance.

Newsweek previously reported that a number of leading bookmakers have recently shortened Burgum’s odds, making him the strong favorite.