A social media page claimed this week that former President Donald Trump – the frontrunner for the GOP presidential candidate nomination – is seriously considering Dr. Ben Carson as his running mate.
Carson briefly ran to be a GOP presidential candidate in 2015 and is known for some controversial comments (per POLITICO). He graduated from Yale University in 1973, received his M.D. from the University of Michigan Medical School and went on to become the youngest division head at Johns Hopkins Hospital when he was selected as chief of pediatric neurosurgery at age 33.
He also served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Trump administration.
“A source who is familiar with President Trump’s thinking tells me that @RealBenCarson is the leading frontrunner to be his Vice President choice in 2024 at this time,” said The Calvin Coolidge Project X page Thursday. Newsweek cited the post, and said that it reached out to Trump and Carson for comment.
“The claim sparked a flurry of tweets with speculations about whether the former president would choose Carson, with some Trump supporters calling the former secretary an ‘excellent pick,’” said the outlet.
Previously, Trump told NBC News that he liked the idea of having a female running mate in 2024 and Audacy reported last August that a GOP communications director expected him to run with a female vice president running mate. Newsweek said “it is thought” that he might also be looking to run with a person of color.
“Among the names that have been floated are South [Dakota] Governor Kristi Noem, Senator Tim Scott, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, and one of his Republican primary opponents, former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley,” it said.
Last month Trump said during an interview with “Clay & Buck”, that former FOX news host Tucker Carlson could also be a possible vice president contender.
“I like Tucker a lot; I guess I would,” Trump said. “I think I’d say I would, because he’s got great common sense.”
Shortly after the comment, he was spotted with Carlson and Kid Rock at a UFC event. In the past, Trump also has said that that businsman and fellow GOP candidate contender Vivek Ramaswamy would be a good VP pick.
Candidates are expected to announce their running mates by the time their parties’ national conventions are held, though they often announce beforehand. The 2024 Republican National Convention is set to be held in Milwaukee, Wisc., in July.