Donald Trump said this week that both New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton are high on his list for a position in his administration, including possibly his vice president. He also indicated that he would like to reveal his choices for various positions in his cabinet throughout the election season, rather than wait until after the election.
During an interview Thursday with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, the host suggested that Trump choose either Cotton or Christie as his running mate. While Trump said he couldn’t give any clues regarding his veep pick, he had very positive things to say about both of them.
“Well, I think they’re both great, and they’ve been very supportive,” Trump said, pointing out that Christie “came out very early” and endorsed him while Cotton has made many supportive statements. “I think that he [Cotton] is a very talented guy,” continued the real estate tycoon. “He’s also very popular. He’s a very popular person,” he added. “So these are two names that I have high on the list for something at least, that I can tell you.”
Cotton told the Independent Journal he is not currently being vetted for the VP position, but he didn’t rule the possibility out:
“I learned a lot of things because of the 9/11 attacks and one thing I learned after that and then in the Army is that it’s good to have a plan, but it’s even better to have a plan that’s written in pencil,” Cotton said.
After a meeting with Trump last March, Senator Cotton said that he and the GOP presumptive nominee have similar concerns regarding NATO.
In an interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Cotton said, “You know, he had spoken earlier that day to The Washington Post editorial board and raised some serious questions about NATO. I share some of those questions.” When also asked whether he could see Trump as president, Cotton replied, “Well I think he could be the commander in chief. He’s one of our leading candidates, and as I said, any of our candidates right now would be a better commander in chief, they’d be a more serious leader for our country than Hillary Clinton.”
Back in March during a radio interview, Trump indicated that he was considering Christie for attorney general: “I think he’d make a great attorney general,” he told conservative radio host Howie Carr of the Howie Carr Show. “He’s a very talented guy.”
Donald Trump Jr. also floated the possibility that Christie would be appointed to the top spot in the Justice Department during an interview at the end of February.
During his interview with Trump, Hewitt asked if he would be willing to name some of his cabinet choices prior to the election, something that usually isn’t done: “For example, former Senator Jon Kyl at Defense, or former Ambassador Bolton at State, or former Senator Lieberman to run the CIA. Will you name members of your cabinet early so that the whole conservative movement and the middle of the country can see a serious team that Donald Trump has put together to fight these so many serious battles in front of us?”
Trump replied that he liked the idea. “I would think it’s no great shakes,” he said. “I would be inclined to do a lot of it early. You don’t have to do all of it, but a lot of it early, actually.”
That answer seemed to cheer Hewitt, who has been somewhat skeptical of Trump so far this election season.
“That is great news,” he said. “I think that would really rally a lot of people to your flag.”
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