Former President Donald Trump responded to a query about fellow 2024 candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's suitability as a running mate by stating, "I think he'd be very good."
According to a report by The Washington Examiner, Tuesday afternoon's Glenn Beck Program featured the former president being asked about the possibility of asking fellow candidate Ramaswamy as his vice president. Trump responded: "I think he's great."
"He's a smart guy. He's a young guy. He's got a lot of talent. He's a very, very, very intelligent person. He's got good energy, and he could be some form of something, I tell you," Trump added.
"I think he'd be very good."
Trump then went on, "He's starting to get out there a little bit. He's getting a little bit controversial. I guess I'd tell him to be a little bit careful."
In the past, Ramaswamy has said he wouldn't accept an offer to be someone's vice president. “I don’t do well in a No. 2, so I’d be about as likely to accept it as he would be to accept my offer to be my vice president,” he said earlier this month. “It’s a 'no.'”
Mike Pence, Trump's former vice president, has been especially critical of Ramaswamy's positions on youth and foreign policy.
Pence stated that he is not surprised by Trump's contemplation of the 38-year-old candidate when asked about it.
"I think there's a great deal of alignment between my former running mate and Vivek and so for my part, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised that he's been complimentary of him in that way," he told reporters Tuesday.
According to Pence, "Different times call for different leadership," and he believes "there is every possibility that I'll be having to make that choice. So I'll leave others to make their choice."
As Ramaswamy has emerged as a potential political danger to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in recent surveys, as Trump's praise for him has grown.
Most of the former president's criticism has been directed against DeSantis, whom he has called "disloyal" and "DeSanctimonious."
Trump is by far the Republican frontrunner for the GOP, and DeSantis is following behind him.
Other candidates who made it at least with enough support to make it to the Republican debate stage were Pence, Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former software entrepreneur Doug Burgum, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and conservative radio host Larry Elder were both expected to meet the criteria, but did not appear at the debate.