Trump Campaign Sends Vetting Documents to Eight VP Contenders

Axios reported Thursday that the Trump campaign had sent out paperwork to eight potential contenders for his vice-presidential pick.

Trump’s apparent shortlist included four senators: J.D. Vance (R-OH), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Tim Scott (R-SC). Also included were Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Byron Donalds (R-FL), Governor Doug Burgum (R-ND), and a former HUD secretary, Ben Carson. 

Also noteworthy in the report is that some of the candidates received larger or shorter packets, depending on how seriously the Trump campaign is considering them. 

The potential picks are diverse in their views on many important issues, particularly concerning Ukraine aid. Vance, Rubio, and Donalds have opposed military aid to Ukraine, while Cotton and Burgum support it. Stefanik and Scott both supported Ukraine aid earlier in the war, but now oppose it. While Carson has accused Biden of putting Ukraine first, in 2015 he supported NATO expansion, arming Ukraine, and possibly removing Russia from the UN Security Council.