Donald Trump to speak in Pennsylvania - Will his running mate be there?
Editor's note: Latest updates on former President Donald Trump's rally on July 13, 2024: Trump was rushed off stage after gunshots rang out at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump appeared to have blood on his face, but was quickly confirmed to be "fine."
WASHINGTON - Former President Donald Trump holds his last pre-convention rally Saturday with a key appointment still to be made: His running mate.
Trump holds a rally in Butler, Pa., near Pittsburgh, amid suggestions that he may wait until the convention itself to announce his vice presidential pick, perhaps on Monday.
“I'd love to do it during the convention, which would be, you know, or just slightly before the convention, like Monday," Trump said Friday on "The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show."
Republicans are looking to see whether Saturday's event in western Pennsylvania includes J.D. Vance, a senator from nearby Ohio who is a finalist for the vice presidential nod.
Trump also enters his convention lacking certainty about who his Democratic opponent will be. Some Democrats have urged President Joe Biden to withdraw from the race amid concerns about his age stemming from the June 27 debate with Trump.
In recent days, Trump has said he expects Biden to remain in the race, but he is prepared to run against Vice President Kamala Harris if necessary - not that he has any say in the matter.
Trump has absolute control over the running mate slot, and has strung out the process to maximize publicity and gin up interest in the Republican nomination.
In his Travis/Sexton radio interview Friday, Trump said he is considering Vance, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida - who appeared with him at a Tuesday rally near Miami - Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota.
He also talked about a Monday convention unveiling.
"Love to do it on Tuesday or Wednesday actually," Trump said, "but for a lot of complex reasons that you people understand, pretty much don’t do that."
Speculation about Vance ramped up after news that one of his top backers - Donald Trump, Jr. - plans to speak just before the vice presidential nominee on Wednesday night of the convention.
On Friday, the younger Trump posted a pro-Vance video on the X social media platform.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump speaks in Pennsylvania; will his running mate be there?
