Trump slammed for reportedly considering Rep Elise Stefanik as potential running mate for 2024 elections
WASHINGTON, DC: Talks surrounding one of the most important choices that former President Donald Trump would have to make if he were to become the Republican nominee, about who he would choose as his running mate, took place over a private dinner held at Mar-a-Lago with his close associates in late December.
According to one attendee at the dinner table, the discussion veered to Representative Elise Stefanik, the firebrand New York Republican congresswoman.
View this post on Instagram
Attendees praised her viral confrontation on the House floor when she questioned three university presidents about campus antisemitism, per NBC News.
According to the same source at the event, Trump indicated his approval of Stefanik as a possible vice president candidate, remarking, "She's a killer."
Since then, Trump and an increasing number of his allies have begun to consider Stefanik as a running mate, according to eight people familiar with the situation, including members of Trump's inner circle, Stefanik's donors, and former Trump administration officials.
View this post on Instagram
Stefanik, the 39-year-old lawmaker, had lately received national recognition for confronting top officials from Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
On the other hand, she has been on Trump's radar even before the hearing, since she possesses one of the primary characteristics that the former President deems valuable in choosing a running mate for himself for the upcoming November 2024 general elections, and that's loyalty.
This, paired with her propensity to generate headlines on key issues, may make her an enticing candidate for Trump’s vice-presidential pick.
Elise Stefanik is proving herself to be a serious contender for Trump’s 2024 running mate
On Wednesday, Elise Stefanik, a former moderate Republican who previously worked on Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign, announced her intention to campaign with former President Donald Trump in New Hampshire.
In the years following Trump’s victory in the 2016 presidential election, Stefanik underwent a political transformation, positioning herself as one of Trump’s staunchest allies on Capitol Hill.
View this post on Instagram
When asked if she would consider becoming Trump's running mate, Stefanik declined to comment, stating that she is primarily focused on her role in Congress.
She shared at the time, “I’m not going to get into any of my conversations with President Trump. I’m honored to call him a friend. I’m proud to be the first member of Congress to have endorsed his re-election, and he had a huge win in Iowa. So we’re very excited about that.”
Stefanik's unwavering loyalty to Trump has been a point of public record, including in a recent interview on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press.’
View this post on Instagram
This differs from the stance taken by former Vice President Mike Pence, who was the target of Trump and his supporters after refusing to support Trump’s fraudulent claims that Joe Biden did not legitimately win the 2020 presidential election.
Pence was also critical of Trump’s election denialism during his brief presidential campaign in 2020.
Stefanik, in contrast, has been one of Trump’s most vocal supporters in Congress for several years, serving on his impeachment defense team in 2019 and backing his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
View this post on Instagram
She did not rule out in the ‘Meet the Press’ interview that she would be the former president’s running mate.
“Well, I, of course, would be honored to serve in any capacity in a Trump administration,” Stefanik stated.
The congresswoman from upstate New York has been making headlines for her unwavering support of former President Donald Trump.
Stefanik's allegiance to Trump includes her refusal to certify the presidential election of 2020 and her continued support for Trump's political interests.
View this post on Instagram
As a result of her loyalty to the former President, she has become increasingly popular among Trump's base and maybe a possible VP candidate.
Stefanik's loyalty to Trump has also been evident in her legal battles where she has taken a strong stance against judges and prosecutors who have opposed Trump in court.
She has gone after the presiding judge in the New York civil fraud case against Trump, called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the former president's fixer Michael Cohen, and filed a complaint against the federal judge who supervised the grand jury for special counsel Jack Smith's indictment of Trump.
View this post on Instagram
Stefanik's success in winning over a district that twice voted for Barack Obama for president could be another factor that makes her an attractive VP candidate.
As Trump looks to seize on President Biden's slipping popularity with some voters in traditionally blue states like New York, Stefanik's New York roots and popularity could be a significant asset for the Trump campaign.
Trump has long talked about Stefanik's prospects for higher office, telling attendees at a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser two years ago that after 2024, she could be the next president.
The former President has also teased a possible announcement of his running mate, although a Trump campaign adviser has pushed back on this, saying, "Nothing is finalized," and it is not expected that a public announcement will be made for some time.
Internet melts down over the prospect of a Trump-Stefanik ticket for the 2024 US general elections
People on X posted their reaction to the speculation running rife over the interwebs lately, that New York Republican congresswoman Elise Stefanik is one of the top contenders for Trump's pick for a running mate leading up to the November general elections.
“She’s a killer."
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) January 17, 2024
NBC News reports that Donald Trump is seriously considering Rep. Elise Stefanik as his VP.
According to this report, during a dinner with Mar-a-Lago members a few weeks ago, when someone brought Elise Stefanik as a possible VP pick, Trump nodded approvingly… pic.twitter.com/o8aF1vLWGX
One X user remarked: "Oh mercy."
Another user quipped: "A killer lol. A liar maybe. A traitor maybe. Foolish definitely."
A killer lol. A liar maybe. A traitor maybe. Foolish definitely.
— Deborah Sutherland (@DeborahMrsdsuth) January 17, 2024
Another user said: "I hope he does pick her. Independents will see her hatefulness and grow to despise her more and more."
I hope he does pick her. Independents will see her hatefulness and grow to despise her more and more
— Matt - Defend Democracy (@matt_new_york) January 17, 2024
One user noted: "No one should believe his words, you never know what he gonna do once he wins the elections."
No one should believe his words, you never know what he gonna do once he wins the elections.
— Rachit (@gupt_rach) January 17, 2024
Another X user claimed: "He wants to make sure he continues to get RNC money and if it stops he’ll throw her under the bus just like he does everyone else."
He wants to make sure he continues to get RNC money and if it stops he’ll throw her under the bus just like he does everyone else.
— UnitedWeStand (@DividedWeFa11) January 17, 2024
Finally, this user tweeted: "Elise's greatest strength is that she's a TOTAL sellout, will tell the boldest of lies with bad intentions, puts her own ambition above all else (including her country), and when asked to uphold the Constitution, will violate that oath with ZERO hesitation. She's made for Trump."
Elise's greatest strength is that she's a TOTAL sellout, will tell the boldest of lies with bad intentions, puts her own ambition above all else (including her country), and when asked to uphold the Constitution, will violate that oath with ZERO hesitation. She's made for Trump.
— i.am.Will (@IAMWILL_FL) January 17, 2024
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.