Trump heads to Pennsylvania for pre-convention rally as VP announcement looms

Jill Colvin, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump will person 1 past chance Saturday to unveil his vice statesmanlike prime connected a rally shape earlier nan Republican National Convention kicks disconnected successful Milwaukee adjacent week.

Trump’s rally successful occidental Pennsylvania, astatine nan Butler Farm Show conscionable extracurricular Pittsburgh, comes arsenic nan erstwhile reality TV prima and tabloid hound continues to tease his pick, moving to drum up maximum attraction and hype.

With President Joe Biden’s reelection run and nan Democratic Party engulfed successful situation complete a dismal statement capacity that has sparked calls for him to measurement aside, Trump has been keeping mostly retired of nan spotlight, making only a fewer nationalist appearances complete nan past 2 weeks.

But that hasn’t stopped him from feeding speculation.

“It’s for illustration a highly blase type of ‘The Apprentice,’” he said successful a power question and reply Friday afternoon, referring to nan show he erstwhile hosted that featured him firing contestants connected camera.

Trump has made clear successful caller days that his penchant is to dramatically uncover his prime unrecorded astatine nan normal — thing nan ratings-obsessed erstwhile president has said would make nan proceedings much “interesting” and “exciting.”

“I’d emotion to do it during nan normal … aliases conscionable somewhat earlier nan convention, for illustration Monday,” he said successful an question and reply Friday connected “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show.”

Other opportunities person travel and gone.

At a rally Tuesday nighttime astatine his Doral play club, he astatine 1 constituent marveled astatine nan number of reporters successful attendance.

“I deliberation they astir apt deliberation I’m going to beryllium announcing that Marco is going to beryllium vice president,” he said of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a apical contender, who was sitting successful nan beforehand row.

Excerpts of his reside released by his run that nighttime included nan line, “So tonight, I americium officially” — ending nan condemnation there. And his run has sent predominant fundraising emails for illustration 1 pinch nan taxable statement “Will I denote my VP prime successful 60 mins?” earlier he spoke.

Saturday’s venue, successful a captious battleground state, sits astir an hr from nan separator pinch Ohio, location to Sen. JD Vance, 1 of nan presumptive nominee’s apical contenders — which had sparked different information of speculation.

But nary of nan men who are considered Trump’s apical contenders — Vance, Rubio and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum — are expected to be nan rally, according to 2 group acquainted pinch nan schedule who, for illustration others, said connected information of anonymity to talk nan plans.

Could he reenact ‘The Apprentice’ connected a normal stage?

Most presumptive awesome statement nominees person chosen their moving mates earlier their respective conventions began. But some Ronald Reagan successful 1980 and George H.W. Bush successful 1988 waited to denote their picks astatine nan statement gatherings.

Trump has many times acknowledged nan challenges of waiting until nan past imaginable moment, saying, “it makes it easier” to break nan news up of time. But he has besides spoken wistfully of nan “old days” and nan attraction a expansive unveiling would bring.

There are logistical challenges that travel pinch a precocious announcement. The early prime will request to present nan astir important reside of their profession astatine nan normal Wednesday nighttime arsenic they judge nan party’s nomination. They’ll besides request to clear their schedule for rallies, events and statement preparations.

Some Trump friends person been encouraging him to hold until nan normal nonetheless.

“RNC should make first nighttime of nan normal an Apprentice,” erstwhile Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal posted connected X. “VP unrecorded show. Trump could occurrence each contender not chosen 1 astatine a time.”

To that end, nan RNC made a alteration to its rules Thursday, which is expected to beryllium adopted Monday, that will make it easier for Trump to denote astatine nan past minute.

Trump has besides raised nan thought of waiting until later successful nan week and pushing nan announcement, he told nan hosts, to Tuesday aliases Wednesday.

Trump has spent months now testing nan field, assessing really they execute connected television, astatine fundraisers and connected rally stages. Several, including Burgum and Vance, joined him astatine his criminal hush money proceedings successful New York. Others were location astatine nan statement past month, wherever Biden’s disastrous capacity upended his campaign, starring to wide calls for him to measurement speech successful favour aliases a younger candidate.

The situation embroiling Democrats has fixed Trump small inducement to denote his prime early since it would inevitably tie attraction distant from Biden.

He besides suggested nan anticipation of Biden being replaced had weighed connected his thinking.

“A small bit, you know, we wanted to spot what they’re doing, to beryllium honest. Because, you know, it mightiness make a difference,” he said successful an question and reply pinch Fox News big Sean Hannity earlier this week.

Trump has offered conflicting answers since nan primaries connected whether he has made up his mind, but said Friday he had 4 aliases 5 apical contenders.

“I person immoderate really, really bully candidates. And you know, I whitethorn beryllium leaning 1 measurement and that changing sometimes — you cognize each of a abrupt you spot thing that you for illustration aliases you don’t for illustration and you thin a small spot otherwise … but we person a very bully bench,” he said.

Trump dishes connected his reported apical contenders

Each of nan finalists has pluses and drawbacks.

Earlier this week, Trump was quizzed connected immoderate successful a Fox News Radio interview.

Was Vance’s beard a onslaught against him, he was asked, pursuing a study successful The Bulwark that that was a concern?

“No, ne'er heard that one,” nan clean-shaven Trump said pinch a laugh. Vance “looks good. He looks for illustration a young Abraham Lincoln.”

What astir nan highly restrictive limits that Burgum signed successful rule North Dakota banning astir each abortions?

“Well, it’s a small spot of an issue. It’s a beautiful beardown ban,” said Trump. “You know, I deliberation Doug is great, but … nan authorities has. So it’s an issue. Everything’s an issue.”

And what astir Rubio’s “Florida problem”? Would nan truth that Rubio would apt person to move extremity Trump from picking him?

“No, but it does make it much complicated,” he said. “There are group that don’t person that complication. Now it’s reasonably easy fixed, but you person to do thing pinch delegates aliases location has to beryllium a resignation, you know, etc., etc. So it’s not for illustration picking immoderate group wherever it’s very easy, wherever location is nary of that.”

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Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price and Will Weissert contributed to this report.