South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem said she believes she knows what qualities former President Donald Trump would want in a running mate for the 2024 election.
Noem said Trump would need someone not part of the “swamp” in Washington, preferably a business owner.
She argued he would need a “commander-in-chief” who can make tough decisions and someone he trusts who will “fight” for him.
“I’m all-in to do what I can to help the team. He needs somebody that actually is not part of the swamp, I think. He needs a business owner,” Noem said. “He needs somebody who’s been a commander-in-chief, somebody who makes decisions when things get tough.”
She added, “Those are his qualifications, and he needs to know he can have somebody around him that trusts him and he trusts and will fight.”
“He’s got a lot of jobs to do when you’re President of the United States. He needs to have people on his team that fight for him every single day,” Noem said.
Noem was among several potential contenders Trump named to Fox News host Laura Ingraham as being on his shortlist, including Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, Vivek Ramaswamy and Tulsi Gabbard.
Noem said whoever Trump picks, she will support and continue defending his policies.
“So, when he picks whoever it is a vice president, I’ll support whoever he picks, and I’m going to make sure that I’m someone who still continues to defend and fight for his policies,” she said.
While Trump commented positively on all the names, some analysts view some options like Gabbard as unlikely.
“Are they all on your shortlist?” Laura Ingraham asked Trump.
“They are,” Trump said. “Honestly, all of those people are good. They’re all good, they’re all solid.”
