Axios reported that former U.S. President Donald Trump believes the top criteria for selecting a vice president is having a strong leader who will become a great president for eight years after his next four-year term ends. The American website mentioned that Trump's presidential campaign sent North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum to at least ten different states to help support Trump. It noted that the campaign's repeated request for Burgum to visit swing states or Democratic-leaning states that Trump’s campaign aims to win is a distinguishing factor for the governor compared to other potential vice-presidential candidates.
This week, Burgum will be in Michigan, followed by Wisconsin to participate in the campaign of Congress candidate Tony Witte, whom Trump supports. On March 9, Burgum spoke at a Republican party dinner in Collier County, Naples, Florida. On March 16, he spoke at a Republican party conference in Clark County, Nevada. On April 13, he spoke at a Republican party dinner in Virginia. Twelve days later, he spoke at a Republican party dinner in Cheshire County, New Hampshire.
On May 12, he flew with former President Trump to attend a rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, where he gave brief remarks before Trump took the stage. From June 6 to 8, Burgum accompanied Trump in California for fundraising events in San Francisco, Beverly Hills, and Newport Beach, and then traveled with Trump from California to Nevada.
The former president's team received positive early feedback from state party officials regarding Burgum's speeches and his willingness to engage with local activists off-stage for photos. This has led the campaign to increasingly send him out, according to two people familiar with the situation who spoke to Axios.
Currently, the campaign is happily benefiting from the strengths of the eight or so competing candidates for vice president, along with their willingness to speak on Trump's behalf. Brian Hughes, Trump's senior campaign advisor, told Axios that Trump himself sees the top criteria for choosing a vice president as having a strong leader who will become a great president for eight years after his next four-year term. He added, "Anyone who tells you they know who or when President Trump will choose his vice president is lying unless that person’s name is Donald J. Trump."
