Donald Trump has ruled out Vivek Ramaswamy as his running mate and is instead eyeing the entrepreneur for a Cabinet job, according to people familiar with the matter, as the Republican presidential nominee sizes up a possible administration.
Trump personally told Ramaswamy he won’t be his vice presidential pick, according to people briefed on the discussion, but is considering him for posts including Homeland Security secretary. Some Trump allies see Ramaswamy as ideal for the job because they say he excels at public speaking and, as an Indian-American son of an immigrant, could neutralize criticism of sweeping immigration restrictions.
Their conversation is just one of many Trump has had recently with allies about administration positions as he seized hold of the Republican nomination. Loyalty, ideological compatibility and perceived electoral power are the metrics by which Trump is evaluating possible picks, according to people familiar with the process who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Those who have impressed Trump and his team for possible Cabinet roles include another former GOP primary foe, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, as well as Representative Elise Stefanik and former US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
His search has been assisted by not only top aides like Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, but also family members. Son-in-law Jared Kushner has recently increased his presence with the campaign, calling and texting to offer suggestions. The president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., has voiced interest in a key transition role, partly to help block people from top jobs who are opposed by Trump loyalists known as “MAGA” hardliners.
Trump is known to change his mind about personnel and policy, but for now, he isn’t satisfied with his roster of vice presidential possibilities. Stefanik, the No. 3 House Republican, is seen as lacking a national profile, fundraising base, or ability to deliver her home of New York state, a long-held pipe dream for Trump, a Queens native. But she’s likely to have a Cabinet role, people close to Trump said.
Trump has complained that Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, one of his former White House press secretaries, waited too long to endorse him. Senator Katie Britt of Alabama botched her odds because of her widely-panned response to Biden’s State of the Union, and was already viewed skeptically by Trump hardliners as an ally of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
