Trump's VP shortlist narrows, with Vance, Burgum and Rubio ahead

The process of selecting a running mate for former President Donald J. Trump has entered its final stages in a frenzied and increasingly theatrical manner, as he privately focuses on a group of leading candidates. At the same time, he encourages his team to stoke speculation about other candidates and the possibility that his choice could be announced at any moment.

Behind closed doors, Mr. Trump focused mainly on Senator JD Vance of Ohio, Governor Doug Burgum of North Dakota and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, according to three people who spoke to the former president in recent years. days and insisted on anonymity to discuss private conversations.

But Mr. Trump has confounded some friends and advisers by continuing to solicit opinions from other candidates, including Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon and former housing secretary during his administration, and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina.

Meanwhile, a series of cryptic and suggestive messages from Mr. Trump's campaign that the announcement could come as soon as this week has sparked 72 hours of wild speculation, baffling political observers and Republican allies.

Several Republican strategists say there are few clear advantages for Mr. Trump in announcing his vice presidential pick the same week as his first debate with President Biden, which will take place Thursday evening in Atlanta. Mr. Trump invited a parade of his potential choices, including the three leading contenders, to the debate and tasked them with defending his performance in front of a crowd of cable television cameras and political reporters.

But few strategists would rule out an announcement during debate week, given past presidents' penchant for impulsive decisions.

Mr. Trump is not the first candidate to promise a big reveal to attract the public. But he demonstrates once again that few others are more determined to use this technique for political purposes.

He's a promoter, it's in his DNA, said Mike Dubke, a Republican strategist and former Trump White House communications director. He will continue to do this until he stops having fun or getting value from it.

One of the most obvious consequences of the “who will it or won't it be” speculation was Fox News' announcement this week that it would be holding a series of interviews with the contenders and their close contacts.

The interviews were originally scheduled for July, closer to the start of the Republican National Convention, when Mr. Trump has generally suggested he would make his announcement. Instead, they were moved up: Mr. Vance’s interview took place on Wednesday, Mr. Scott’s on Thursday and Mr. Burgums’s is expected on Monday.

From Mar-a-Lago, the interviews have been seen as a kind of final casting call for Mr. Trump. But the rush to start airing the segments may have cost Mr. Rubio a spot on the show.

According to two people familiar with the planning, Mr. Rubio's team had balked at several potential interview settings, including an option for a pickleball game with Steve Doocy, a Fox and Friends anchor. When the schedule changed early, Mr. Rubio's office told the network it was unable to resolve several scheduling conflicts, the sources said.

Tensions over the interview came to light Wednesday morning when Mr. Doocy complained on air that Mr. Rubio had stopped responding to his text messages. Brian Kilmeade, one of Mr. Doocy's co-hosts, suggested that they should ambush Mr. Rubio at his home in Miami or at a sporting event for one of his children. Irena Briganti, a Fox News spokeswoman, said Mr. Kilmeade was clearly joking.

Maybe he already knows who will be chosen, Mr. Doocy said, adding: Marco, it's not too late Marco, go ahead, text me right now and tell me you'll be available and that I will be in Miami in 15 minutes.

A spokesman for Mr. Rubio declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Fox News declined to comment on questions about Mr. Rubio’s participation and referred to the network’s press release earlier in the week promoting the interviews.

Some Trump aides have urged reporters to monitor the former president's social media feeds around the clock, implying that the announcement could come in the middle of the night.

On Tuesday, Chris LaCivita, one of Trump's top advisers, posted a suggestive message on social media: Off to West Palm!! The question is who is with me???

These uncontrollable uncertainties have been a reward for Mr. Trump’s campaign, which has drawn the attention of major media outlets to a story that keeps him in the headlines and poses little political risk.

Last month, the Trump campaign inflamed the veepstakes news cycle by releasing a list of candidates it was vetting. But the campaign never defined what vetting meant, and the list ignored the fact that Mr. Trump was actually focusing his attention on a narrower group.

The campaign's confusing messages have also caused headaches for Mr. Trump's Republican allies.

“All the information I have comes from journalists, it's maddening,” an adviser to a vice presidential candidate said Tuesday.

No one wants this to end more than me, said another.

It's torture, said a third, adding: “But Trump is clearly enjoying himself.”

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