• John McEntee, a senior Project 2025 adviser, has said of staffing the next Trump administration: “Sometimes experience is bad.” He added that the “number one thing you're looking for is people that are aligned with the agenda” and that “the number one thing actually to see a job through is not caving to media pressure.” [Media Matters, 2/2/24]

• Project 2025 has invited supporters to apply for the future Trump administration, seeking to create a database of tens of thousands for potential political appointments. [Government Executive, 4/24/23]

• Project 2025 is “pre-screening the ideologies” of people who submit their names to the database for “ready-to-serve loyalists,” with questions, for example, about their opinions of the government’s right to “select immigrants based on country of origin,” school vouchers, and the rights of the United Nations. Axios wrote: “We're told immense, intense attention will be given to the social-media histories of anyone being considered for top jobs. Those queasy about testing the limits of Trump's power will get flagged and rejected.” [Axios, 11/13/23]

• The coalition has also expressed its intention to reinstate Schedule F, an attempted executive order from the final days of the Trump administration that would have eliminated civil service protections for thousands of federal employees, essentially making them at-will employees. [PBS, 8/29/23; Government Executive, 10/22/22]

Here are some of the names right-wing media figures have suggested to fill high-level positions in the next Trump administration:

A former member of Congress from Minnesota, Michele Bachmann has been a prominent far-right pundit generating conspiracy theories about the Affordable Care Act “death panels,” the Clintons, and LGBTQ people. Bachmann recently appeared on The Charlie Kirk Show and claimed “Gaza needs to end” and advocated for the removal of “2 million” Palestinians from their land. 

• On War Room, Steve Bannon told Bachmann “I think you’d be an amazing secretary of state to President Trump.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 5/6/24]

David Bernhardt, a former mining, oil, gas, and utilities lobbyist, served as the secretary of the interior under Trump. During his term, he was described as “a walking conflict of interest,” and the House Nature Resources Committee referred him to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution. While in office, Berhhardt announced plans to let oil and gas companies drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested Bernhardt return as secretary of the interior. [Axios, 7/28/22]

Since leaving his career as a Secret Service agent, Dan Bongino has become a stalwart pro-Trump right-wing pundit, serving as a (now-former) host on Fox News and radio and now hosting his own podcast. He has been banned from YouTube and Google’s ad service for pushing COVID-19 misinformation in the past. 

• Answering audience questions live on-air, Donald Trump Jr. said Bongino “would be great” for vice president or another position “to just end nonsense,” adding, “Put him in charge of the FBI and getting rid of the crap down below there.” During another episode where he read audience suggestions for his father’s potential future Cabinet, Trump Jr. said Bongino would “be a good one. That’d be fire on day one.” [Rumble, Triggered with Donald Trump Jr., 1/18/24, 12/28/23]

Matt Boyle, Washington bureau chief at Breitbart, is a Trump loyalist close to Steve Bannon and the former president. 

• At the Conservative Political Action Conference, Steve Bannon asked Boyle if he was “trying to be the comms director of the Trump White House.” Boyle responded that if Trump “ever asked me to do that, I’d definitely consider it.” Bannon asked a cheering crowd, “Is Matt Boyle our pick? He’s the best." [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 2/22/24]

Dan Brouillette served as the secretary of energy under Trump, and during his first public appearance in the role he attacked New York state’s efforts to block fossil fuel infrastructure expansion, calling them “extremist policies.” He currently leads a major utilities lobbying group. 

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested Brouillette return as the secretary of energy. [Axios, 7/28/22] 

North Dakota’s governor, Doug Burgum is a former software executive who was one of the wealthiest 2024 GOP presidential contenders. After ending his run in December, Burgum endorsed and lavished praise on Trump. He has since pushed election misinformation. 

• Fox’s Brian Kilmeade told Burgum he “would be shocked” if the governor didn’t end up in Trump’s cabinet, either as vice president or in some other role. [Media Matters, 5/6/24]

Tucker Carlson is a former Fox News host known for spreading white supremacist rhetoric and extremist misinformation.

• On his podcast, Donald Trump Jr. said that Tucker Carlson would be his “first, second, third, fourth, and fifth choice for VP if I could decide right now.” He added, “He’d be great on a lot of issues and it would also drive the other side insane.” [Rumble, Triggered with Donald Trump Jr., 11/9/23]

• Recommending him for vice president, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk called Carlson “tough,” “principled,” “electric” and an “irresistible” draw for suburban women and young voters. [Media Matters, 11/16/23]

• Daily Wire host Michael Knowles said Carlson would be a good running mate for Trump because he “represents the conservative wing of the conservative party.”  [Media Matters, 11/16/23]

• Donald Trump Jr. said Carlson would “be great” for press secretary. The former Fox host “actually understands the issues, unlike most of these clowns in the media,” who are “not smart enough, most of them, to actually understand the details … so he would run circles around them,” he said. Trump Jr. added: “I had higher hopes for Tucker than press secretary, obviously, but, man, he’d be great in the role.” [Rumble, Triggered with Donald Trump Jr., 12/28/23]

The former Housing and Urban Development secretary under Trump and a retired surgeon, Ben Carson is a staunchly anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ conservative. His organization, American Cornerstone Institute, is a partner of Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. 

• On Fox News, Neil Cavuto told Carson that his name “is coming up with something a little higher” than his former role, “maybe vice president, adding that he is “obviously smart as a whip, one of the nation's top neurosurgeons.” Carson replied that he is “extremely interested in making sure that our country succeeds in whatever capacity that seems to be most appropriate.” [Fox News, Your World with Neil Cavuto, 3/5/24]

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested Ben Carson lead the Department of Health and Human Services. [Axios, 7/28/22]

Safra Catz, CEO of software company Oracle, was a member of Trump’s 2016 transition team and was reportedly on the short list for national security adviser in 2018. 

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested Catz as U.N. ambassador. [Axios, 7/28/22] 

Formerly the assistant attorney general for the environment and natural resources division, Jeffrey Clark drew attention after his role in helping Trump attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. In 2023, Clark was indicted in Georgia on racketeering charges in the Georgia election interference case. A D.C. disciplinary panel found in 2024 that Clark violated ethics rules in these efforts and will advocate for his disbarment.

• Steve Bannon suggested Clark for Trump’s attorney general and claimed he is on the “very short list” for the position. [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 12/20/23, 11/6/23]

Tom Cotton is a Republican senator from Alabama known for his extremist far-right views who called for military intervention against protestors in 2020 and attacked college campus protests in 2024. 

• On Fox News, Bret Baier asked right-wing pundit Hugh Hewitt who he would bet Trump’s vice presidential pick would be, and Hewitt picked Cotton, Joni Ernst, Mike Pompeo, and J.D. Vance, as “they are all veterans and they all contrast wonderfully well with Kamala Harris on everything.” [Fox News, Special Report, 3/26/24]

Monica Crowley is a former Fox News contributor and former Trump administration staffer who has spread xenophobia and Islamophobia. During a Fox News appearance, she claimed that “you have millions of illegal immigrants … bringing tsunamis of crime, drugs, disease,” and in 2015, she referred to Syrians migrating to Europe as an “invasion.” During the Obama administration, Crowley made claims that former President Barack Obama was secretly Muslim and asked, “Can he be both loyal to Islam and loyal to the United States?” 

• On War Room, Steve Bannon claimed Crowley would be on Trump’s short list for national security adviser. [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 1/9/24]

Ken Cuccinelli, a senior fellow at the Center for Renewing America, served as deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security under Trump after what the Government Accountability Office deemed an illegal appointment. He testified to a grand jury in 2023 about his role in the efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Trump also reportedly “considered Cuccinelli for a special appointment to seek out election fraud on behalf of the White House after the election.” In 2023, Cuccinelli claimed that the Biden administration wanted mass illegal immigration. He also has called “same-sex acts” “against nature and harmful to society,” said that the “homosexual agenda … brings nothing but self-destruction, and  and defended anti-sodomy laws. 

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested Cuccinelli returning to lead the Department of Homeland Security. [Axios, 7/28/22]

A frequent guest in right-wing media, Mike Davis is a pro-Trump sycophant who has repeatedly suggested that if elected, Trump could prosecute his political opponents and even civilians who disagree with him. On television, Davis has claimed to want to “put kids in cages” and said he disliked democracy. Davis also has a long history of spreading racism and misogyny on social media. 

• Donald Trump Jr. said that “you almost have to” nominate Davis as attorney general. “Just put them in as interim even, just to send that shot across the bow of the swamp. Be like — you want to play?” [Rumble, Triggered with Donald Trump Jr., 11/9/23]
• Steve Bannon said on War Room that Davis will “at least be the interim attorney general in the first couple of weeks of the second term.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 11/17/23]

Currently the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis was one of several governors across the country to push back on COVID-19 safety restrictions in his state, has been a prominent opponent of the rights of LGBTQ individuals, and signed a six-week abortion ban into law. In 2023, he announced his run for the GOP presidential nomination, but he dropped out and supported Trump in January 2024. 

• Fox’s Sean Hannity said on his radio show that he was glad to hear DeSantis was on the short list after the contentious primary fight, saying, “I did not like those two fighting because they were friends.” [Premiere Networks, The Sean Hannity Show, 2/21/24]

• OutKick’s Clay Travis said DeSantis is “beyond a shadow of a doubt the most qualified person in my mind to be Trump's vice president.” [OutKick, OutKick the Show, 4/29/24]

• On his Daily Wire show in July 2023, Michael Knowles suggested DeSantis as Trump’s next chief of staff. [The Daily Wire, The Michael Knowles Show, 7/19/23]

Byron Donalds is a Republican representative from Florida who has supported election fraud conspiracy theories and refused to say he will accept the results of the 2024 presidential election.

• On Charlie Kirk’s show,  former Trump adviser Sebastian Gorka insisted he knew who Trump’s vice president pick is (but couldn’t say who), but said, “Until I found out, I loved the idea of somebody like Byron Donalds. I think he'd be a rock star.” [Salem Media Group, The Charlie Kirk Show, 3/6/24] 

Sean Duffy is a Fox contributor and former U.S. representative who has blamed corporate failures on diversity, equity, and inclusion and claimed that there is a “war on Christians” in America. 

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested Duffy lead the Department of Transportation. [Axios, 7/28/22]

Joni Ernst is a Republican senator from Iowa who has endorsed Trump. 

• On Fox News, Bret Baier asked right-wing pundit Hugh Hewitt who he would bet Trump’s vice presidential pick would be, and Hewitt picked Ernst, Tom Cotton, Mike Pompeo, and J.D. Vance, as “they are all veterans and they all contrast wonderfully well with Kamala Harris on everything.” [Fox News, Special Report, 3/26/24]

James Finch is a former Oklahoma FBI official and consultant to of Home Title Lock, a company he promotes during his War Room appearances which purports to protect homeowners from home title theft. The organization’s dramatic claims about the widespread risk of title theft have come under scrutiny for overstating the risks to potential customers in their advertisements, which feature right-wing figures such as Newt Gingrich and Rudy Giuliani.

• Steve Bannon suggested that Finch “step up to the plate” as FBI director under Trump. [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 2/22/24]

A former Army lieutenant general and national security adviser during the Trump administration, Michael Flynn came under fire “for misleading Vice President Mike Pence and other administration officials about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S.” and retroactively registering as a foreign agent lobbying on behalf of Turkey, and he became the shortest serving national security adviser in U.S. history. After leaving the White House, Flynn has become one of the foremost election deniers as well as become a prominent leader in the QAnon and Christian nationalist movements. 

• On War Room, Steve Bannon floated Flynn as vice president, calling him “one of the war heroes in the 20-year war and now one of the senior advisers to President Trump.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 10/25/23]

• Bannon also floated the idea of Flynn as Trump’s next secretary of defense. Bannon asked, “Is General Flynn going to be VP? Gen. Flynn going to be secretary of Defense? We’ll talk about that later.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 10/25/23]

Tulsi Gabbard is a former Democratic representative and current Fox News contributor who has supported election-denying candidates for Congress.

• Fox contributor Ben Domenech said Gabbard “excites people,” and “can bring in a strong sort of youth vote presence” as Trump’s running mate. [Media Matters, 3/22/24]

• After Gabbard said she would be “honored” to help Trump in his administration during an interview, Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade told her that he “can’t imagine you not being in his cabinet if he does win, let alone running mate.” [Media Matters, 3/22/24]

Frank Gaffney is an anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist who went on an antisemitic rant on air in March 2024, calling Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) a “court Jew” and claiming the “psychology” of Jews is “pretty twisted.” 

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested that Gaffney be appointed as ambassador to China. [Axios, 7/28/22]

Bill Gertz is a Washington Times national security correspondent whose reporting on the alleged origins of COVID-19 has fueled Steve Bannon’s speculation on the topic. 

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested Gertz as CIA director. [Axios, 7/28/22]

• In his book, Navarro also suggested Gertz be appointed director of national intelligence. [Axios, 7/28/22]

Marjorie Taylor Greene is a Republican member of Congress from Georgia known for her far-right extremist ideology, including connections to QAnon and other conspiracy theories. 

• Following a conspiratorial rant from Greene claiming that Trump may be assassinated, Steve Bannon asked if she would serve as his vice president or in his Cabinet. “Of course I would,” Greene replied. “I would serve President Trump in any capacity.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 1/11/24]

Trump’s former ambassador to Germany turned conservative media figure, Ric Grenell is currently serving as the former president’s “envoy” and meeting with foreign leaders on behalf of the campaign. He also previously served as acting director of national intelligence.

• In 2023, Steve Bannon touted Grenell as a potential secretary of state in a future Trump administration. [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 3/3/23]
• Donald Trump Jr. also suggested Grenell for the position on his show, Triggered, in February, describing him as a “top contender” for the role. [Rumble, Triggered with Donald Trump Jr., 2/1/24]

Nikki Haley is a former ambassador to the United Nations, governor of South Carolina, and a failed Republican presidential primary candidate. 

• On Fox News, legal commentator Horace Cooper suggested listing Haley “as either secretary of state nominee or as a running mate” could benefit Trump “because places like Michigan, places like Arizona, places like Georgia have a suburban women vote that you might want to reach out to.” [Fox News, The Ingraham Angle, 9/29/23]

Sarah Huckabee Sanders is Trump’s former White House press secretary and current governor of Arkansas. As governor, Sanders has claimed her responsibility is to “protect children from ‘the radical left woke mob.’” 

• On his radio show, Sean Hannity speculated who could be Trump’s pick for vice president, with guest Newt Gingrich floating Sanders, who he claimed did “such a spectacular job last year in responding to Biden’s State of the Union.” [Premiere Networks, The Sean Hannity Show, 2/5/24]

Ron Johnson is a Republican senator from Wisconsin who was part of Trump’s efforts to deny the results of the 2020 election and continues to erode Wisconsin’s election integrity. 

• On his show, Charlie Kirk floated the idea of Johnson as Trump’s vice president because “Johnson is well-respected in every single necessary category in Republican circles.” [Salem Media Group, The Charlie Kirk Show, 8/17/23]

Brian Kennedy is a senior Claremont Institute fellow and election denier who was heavily involved with Trump’s efforts to stay in power after his 2020 loss. In War Room appearances after the election, Kennedy regularly detailed his involvement and voiced frustration with the Trump campaign’s effort to access voting machines. 

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested Kennedy for ambassador to China. [Axios, 7/28/22]

Bob Lighthizer is Trump’s former trade representative who engineered Trump’s trade war during the first administration. 

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested that Trump appoint Lighthizer to head the Department of Commerce. [Axios, 7/28/22]

A self-described “proud Islamophobe,” Laura Loomer is a prominent pro-Trump troll known for  spreading conspiracy theories and making racist remarks. Loomer also started attacks on Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter, spreading an unsubstantiated claim that spread throughout right-wing media in an attempt to discredit Trump’s hush money trial. 

• Donald Trump Jr. said of the idea of Loomer as press secretary: “The mainstream media would go into retirement.” [Rumble, Triggered with Donald Trump Jr., 12/28/23]
• On the show Jewels Jones Live, Loomer said “I would love to have some type of communications or media role helping President Trump. Press secretary would be great." [Rumble, Jewel Jones Live, 4/27/24]

Nancy Mace is a Republican representative for South Carolina and a strong Trump supporter whom he endorsed for her upcoming reelection. In the past, Mace has shared right-wing misinformation.

• Newsmax host Greg Kelly called Mace “a future vice president” and said she would be “incredibly effective as Donald Trump’s vice presidential nominee.” Kelly added that she would be a “great ambassador” in bringing in non-MAGA Republicans. [Newsmax, Greg Kelly Reports, 3/11/24]

Linda McMahon served as the head of the Trump administration’s Small Business Administration, stepping down in 2019 to lead Trump’s America First Action PAC. She is currently the chair of the board of the America First Policy Institute, for which she has written content attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion; minimum wage increases; and Biden’s record on labor policy. 

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested Linda McMahon lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development. [Axios, 7/28/22]

Peter Navarro is Trump’s former trade adviser who is currently serving a four-month federal prison sentence for contempt of Congress after refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House January 6 committee. Navarro was part of the effort to overturn the 2020 election in several states and in 2023 accused special counsel Jack Smith of seditious conspiracy. 

• On War Room, Epoch Times’ Adam Molon endorsed Navarro for vice president because of his loyalty to Trump and because “people from disadvantaged backgrounds, people who are persecuted from across the nation would be inspired to see President Trump and Dr. Navarro show us how to face down persecution and to emerge victorious and to emerge fighting for us and our nation even stronger than before.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 5/9/24]

Kristi Noem is the Republican governor of South Dakota. Noem has created a large national profile with her right-wing views. Noem is likely out of the running for Trump’s vice president pick after a media firestorm following the release of a snippet of a book she wrote in which she describes killing her 14-month-old puppy. 

• In a Fox appearance, Scott Walker listed Noem as one of the people he likes for the job, saying he thinks it should be a governor. [Fox News, Your World with Neil Cavuto, 2/26/24]

• Rebuking the idea that Nikki Haley could be Trump’s running mate, Charlie Kirk said that “Kristi Noem would be fine.” [Salem Media Group, The Charlie Kirk Show, 12/12/23]

Nunes is a former U.S. representative who is now CEO of Trump Media.

• On Newsmax, former Trump strategist Roger Stone suggested Nunes as vice president, saying he’d be an “excellent choice.” [Newsmax, Eric Bolling the Balance, 3/28/24]

• On March 26, 2024, Charlie Kirk said of Nunes, “What a great chief of staff that would be for Donald Trump.” He continued: “What do you guys think? Devin Nunez for chief of staff. This — what he did to get Truth Social public? He's showing some real business bona fides loyalty to Donald Trump and the family.” [Salem Media, The Charlie Kirk Show, 3/26/24]

• The following day, Kirk again suggested Nunes be Trump’s next chief of staff. [Salem Media, The Charlie Kirk Show, 3/27/24]

Sarah Palin is the former Republican governor of Alaska who recently claimed that prosecutions of Trump will lead to a “civil war.” 

• Newsmax’s Eric Bolling suggested Palin as secretary of energy, telling her during a 2022 interview, “We need people like Sarah Palin in Congress and maybe an energy secretary if there’s a Republican president next time around.” [Newsmax, Eric Bolling the Balance, 10/12/22] 

Kash Patel is a former Trump Department of Defense and National Security Council staffer who has since pledged to target non-Trump-friendly journalists in a second Trump administration. Patel also has served as a “ representative on behalf of President Trump” in dealings with the National Archives. Patel has become a frequent guest on shows like War Room and other far-right shows and is a consistent Trump loyalist and January 6 apologist. 

• Steve Bannon told him, “You are going to be the CIA director” under Trump. [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 11/7/23] 

• Steve Bannon claimed Patel “would be an incredible CIA director, but I think Kash might actually, maybe a better FBI director.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 12/6/23]

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested Patel be appointed director of national intelligence. [Axios, 7/28/22]

Ken Paxton, who currently serves as the attorney general of Texas, gained prominence as part of the tea party movement. Paxton has appointed anti-LGBTQ officials and helped Trump attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election. 

• At the Conservative Political Action Conference, Mike Davis said Paxton “would be a fantastic attorney general in a Trump 47 administration.” [Conservative Political Action Conference, 2/23/24]

Michael Pillsbury is a conservative author and senior fellow on China strategy at The Heritage Foundation.

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested Pillsbury be appointed as ambassador to China. [Axios, 7/28/22]

Fox News host Jeanine Pirro briefly served as a county judge in the 1990s and in recent years has become a pro-Trump sycophant. She has used  dehumanizing language about political rivals and immigrants, promoted inaccurate and bizarre climate denialism, claimed diversity, equity, and inclusion is anti-white, and appeared on Christian nationalist and QAnon-supporting shows. 

• In his 2022 book on how Trump can win back the White House, titled Taking Back Trump’s America, Peter Navarro recommended Pirro for attorney general. [Axios, 7/28/22]

Mike Pompeo served as both the director of the CIA and then secretary of state, and when asked in 2020 whether there would be a smooth transition of power, he responded, “There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration."

• On Fox News, Bret Baier asked right-wing pundit Hugh Hewitt who he would bet Trump’s vice presidential pick would be, and Hewitt picked Pompeo, Tom Cotton, Joni Ernst, and J.D. Vance, as “they are all veterans and they all contrast wonderfully well with Kamala Harris on everything.” [Fox News, Special Report, 3/26/24]

• In a panel on Fox News, Fox contributor Guy Benson said Pompeo is “a very solid, stable, sort of calming presence.” “There's a case to be made absolutely for Mike Pompeo, depending on what Trump would value on a ticket. And I think at the very least, he merits serious consideration.” [Fox News, Special Report, 3/28/24]

Vivek Ramaswamy is a failed GOP primary candidate known for pushing right-wing conspiracy theories including the “great replacement” theory. 

• Donald Trump Jr. said that he liked the idea of Ramaswamy for vice president but that he also saw support for making him the “blow-shit-up czar basically — like just get in there and, you know, take down these institutions.” “By the way, both of which [are] important and interesting,” he added. [Rumble, Triggered with Donald Trump Jr., 1/18/24]

• In March, Benny Johnson joined The Charlie Kirk Show to promote Ramaswamy for Trump’s vice president, saying he “represents a youthful and very energetic and very America First vision of the future of this party.” He said that Ramaswamy can bring in libertarians, “the Elon, you know, the Silicon Valley wing also that also want freedom,” and first-generation immigrants. [Salem Media, The Charlie Kirk Show, 3/11/24]

• Late last year, Daily Wire host Michael Knowles said of then-GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, “This guy could be secretary of state or something.” [The Daily Wire, The Michael Knowles Show, 12/7/23]

• Eric Bolling claimed that Ramaswamy “would be a great chief of staff to Trump." [Newsmax, Eric Bolling the Balance, 1/18/24]

John Ratcliffe is the former director of national intelligence under Trump and a former congressman from Texas. Ratcliffe came under scrutiny for allegations of politicizing the intelligence department under his tenure and became a prominent supporter of Trump as a congressman during Trump’s first impeachment. 

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro suggested Ratcliffe as CIA director. [Axios, 7/28/22]

Kim Reynolds is the Republican governor of Iowa. She has close ties to anti-LGBTQ group Moms for Liberty. 

• James Freeman said Reynolds would be the “perfect pick” for vice president because of her “executive experience, solid record as governor,” adding that she was “great on taxes” and “great on letting kids get back to school after the COVID panic.” [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 5/6/24]

• On Fox News, former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Trump’s pick should be a governor, saying he likes Reynolds as “a great pick and a great complement to President Trump.” Walker said that “nobody in the country right now is better than Kim Reynolds, even better than, I think in some cases, issue by issue, than Ron DeSantis in Florida.” [Fox News, Your World with Neil Cavuto, 2/26/24] 

Marco Rubio is a Republican senator from Florida who has endorsed Trump. 

• Benny Johnson said Rubio would be the most “practical” choice for vice president if Trump doesn’t choose Ramaswamy, because, among other reasons, Rubio could appeal to Spanish-speaking Americans and “ has not betrayed us in the Senate.” [YouTube, The Benny Show, 5/6/24]

• Reacting to outlets suggesting Rubio was on Trump’s vice presidential short list, radio host Mark Levin said, “I think he'd be great.” [Westwood One, The Mark Levin Show, 3/20/24] 

Owen Shroyer is a host on Alex Jones’ Infowars, where he has worked since 2016. In 2023, Shroyer was sentenced to two months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of violating 18 U.S.C. 1752(a)(1) for his actions on January 6, 2021.

• In response to an audience suggestion that Shroyer be Trump’s press secretary, Donald Trump Jr. responded, “Yeah. Listen, he just did some jail time for nonsense. … Yeah. I’d like to see him with a little bit of an FU tour in Washington, D.C.” [Rumble, Triggered with Donald Trump Jr., 12/28/23]

Elise Stefanik is a member of Congress serving the 21st District of New York who has become increasingly aligned with Trump and his claims of election fraud, even going as far as objecting to the electoral vote certification in Pennsylvania, which led to her removal from Harvard’s Senior Advisory Committee. In addition, when asked, Stefanik refused to commit to certifying the election results in the upcoming 2024 election.

• On Sean Hannity’s radio show, guest and former GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich also floated Stefanik for vice president, claiming she “did a great job taking on the presidents of Harvard, MIT, and the University Pennsylvania, and has been a very effective leader of the House Republican conference.” [Premiere Networks, The Sean Hannity Show, 2/5/24]

Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump is an election denier who currently co-leads the Republican National Committee with a strong focus on so-called election integrity. She previously looked to hire election denier and QAnon conspiracy theorist Scott Presler to the RNC. She has also spreads bigoted right-wing conspiracy theories.

• In his 2022 book, Peter Navarro also suggested Trump as U.N. ambassador. [Axios, 7/28/22] 

Tommy Tuberville is a conservative GOP senator from Alabama who is staunchly anti-trans and anti-abortion. Recently, Tuberville supported the controversial Alabama Supreme Court ruling declaring embryos conceived through in vitro fertilization to be considered children.

• At the Conservative Political Action Conference, Steve Bannon suggested that Tuberville should be the vice president or appointed to be the secretary of defense. Asked about being defense secretary, Tuberville replied, “In a heartbeat. In a heartbeat.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 2/22/24]

A former venture capitalist and author of the book Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. Vance is currently a Republican senator for Ohio. Vance has been one of Trump’s staunchest supporters and advocates for the former president’s authoritarian policies, promoting the “great replacement” theory, and repeated false claims of election fraud in the 2020 election. 

• On War Room, Steve Bannon claimed that Vance is on the vice presidential “short list” for a second Trump administration. [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 2/12/24]

• On The Charlie Kirk Show, staffer Andrew Kolvet asked Vance directly whether he’d accept the role as Trump’s vice president, saying, “We'd be more than happy if this was the case.” Vance said the suggestion was “extremely flattering,” adding, “If he asked me, certainly I would seriously consider it.” [Salem Media, The Charlie Kirk Show, 3/18/24]

• On Fox News, right-wing pundit Hugh Hewitt named Vance and other GOP figures as potential vice presidential picks for Trump, saying, “They are all veterans and they all contrast wonderfully well with Kamala Harris on everything.” [Fox News, Special Report, 3/26/24]

Russ Vought is a Christian nationalist who served as the director of the Office of Management and Budget under Trump and now leads the Center for Renewing America, which reportedly listed “Christian nationalism” as one of the major priorities of a second Trump term. Vought has endorsed subjecting civil servants to ideological purity tests and has cast government shutdowns as a “net positive” for Republican policy goals. 

• In 2023 on War Room, Steve Bannon suggested that Vought should be head of the Federal Reserve. [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 2/8/23]

Mike Waltz is a Republican representative from Florida and a supporter of Trump, and he has boasted about the former president’s extremist immigration plans. 

• Newsmax’s Greg Kelly said it would be “fantastic” if Waltz were Trump's secretary of defense. [Newsmax, Greg Kelly Reports, 1/30/24]