Former President Donald Trump has announced that he will wait until the start of the Republican National Convention on July 15th to reveal his choice for a running mate, pushing back his initial timeline. Trump had previously stated that he would announce his vice presidential pick "probably not too much before the convention," but now plans to make the announcement "sometime during the convention."

Traditionally, the confirmation of the Republican or Democratic nominee for vice president takes place on the penultimate night of the national convention, which in the case of the GOP would be July 17th. Trump, 77, has been tight-lipped about the specific individuals being considered for the role. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum revealed that Trump mentioned there could be as many as 50 people on the list of potential running mates.

During an interview with News12, Trump did mention a few names as potential vice presidential candidates. These include former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and JD Vance (R-Ohio), and House GOP Conference chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY). However, Trump did not provide any further details or clues about his top choices, stating that there are "many people who would do a fantastic job."

Trump also commented on his former rival, Nikki Haley, who recently announced her support for him in the November elections. Haley, a former UN ambassador, had kept quiet about backing Trump after dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. However, she ultimately stated that she would support him because President Biden's administration has been a "catastrophe."

Trump expressed his appreciation for Haley's support, stating that they share similar ideas and thoughts. While he believes she will be on their team in some form, he confirmed that she is not in the running to be his vice presidential candidate.

The long list of potential vice presidential candidates reportedly includes Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and former Hawaii Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard, among others.

With Trump's announcement delayed until the convention, speculation continues to swirl about who will ultimately join forces with him as his running mate. As the convention draws closer, all eyes will be on the former president to see who he selects to join him in his bid for the White House.