Donald Trump Jr. said Thursday that Tucker Carlson as a potential running mate for his father, Donald Trump, “clearly would be on the table.” (Watch the video below.)
“They’re very friendly, they agree on virtually all of these [issues], they agree on stopping the never-ending wars,” the former president’s eldest son said on Newsmax. “I would love to see that happen. That would certainly be a contender.”
Trump, the Republican front-runner who just won the Iowa caucuses handily, said in November that he would consider the fired Fox News host “because he’s got great common sense.” The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman later confirmed there was some substance to the possibility.
Carlson told right-wing comic Roseanne Barr recently that he supported Trump and was flattered by the consideration. But when asked if he’d accept if asked to be vice president on the ticket, Carlson replied, “I guess I’d have to think about that.”
There’s also the awkward matter of Carlson having expressed his hatred for Trump in a text.
Trump was definitely a fan of the former prime-time giant Carlson, whose show on Fox News was filled with racism, conspiracy theories and white nationalist talking points before he got canned. The right-wing personality now has a show on X.
Newsmax host Rob Finnerty pressed Trump Jr. on other vice presidential possibilities for his father, who said he has decided on a running mate but won’t reveal who it is.
Trump Jr. said he would not rule out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis because he has been a leading contender in the GOP race. He also mentioned Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) as a prospect who, like Carlson, was “principally in alignment [with his father] as well as aggressive.”
Former HUD Secretary Ben Carson, who served under Trump, got the younger Trump’s approval but worried that he’s “almost too nice for politics.”
As for former UN Ambassador and current Trump opponent Nikki Haley, Trump Jr. said he’d like to “make sure” it wasn’t her. “I don’t think that’s currently really on the table” he said.
Fast forward to 2:47: