Trump VP short list has new top contender: report

Former President Donald Trump is whittling down his list of potential running mates, and one lawmaker is moving up, according to a report from The New York Times.

Sources close to Trump claim Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas is quickly becoming a top contender for the role, according to a Friday report from the outlet.

The three sources — who remained unnamed in the report — said Trump values Cotton’s reliability and clear communication of policy.

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Then-President Donald Trump, right, speaks beside Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, left, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. (Zach Gibson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Trump has kept his vice-presidential machinations close to his chest since the beginning of the 2024 campaign, offering a variety of names at different points in time. Cotton has been similarly unwilling to confirm or deny any rumors about his prospects in a hypothetical second Trump administration.

“I suspect only Donald Trump knows who is really on his short list,” the senator told Fox News on Monday. 

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Senator Tom Cotton speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington, D.C. (Photographer: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

He continued, “When we do talk, we talk about what it’s going to take to win this election in November — to elect President Trump to another term in the White House and elect a Republican Congress, so we can begin to repair the damage that Joe Biden’s presidency has inflicted on this country.”

Many former foes and rivals of Trump now stand as key vice-presidential hopefuls, including Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, and former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio is another name that has been circulated.

The campaign recently stated that former primary opponent Nikki Haley, a onetime South Carolina governor and former UN ambassador, is not under consideration.

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Attendees cheer during a campaign event with former US President Donald Trump, center left, at Wildwood Beach in Wildwood, New Jersey.

Trump’s final selection will likely not be confirmed until the Republican National Convention in July.

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.