People are waiting eagerly to learn who Trump is going to pick for his running mate. There has been a shortlist, but not a clear frontrunner at this point. The former president recently revealed he would announce a name before the Republican National Convention, which will be held in July.

Most of the people being discussed are longtime Republican heavy-hitters, as well as close Trump allies. Even a few former rivals are being considered.

But what does Trump really think about these candidates? Trump’s opinion on someone could make or break their political career. Now, audio from a recent luncheon ended up in Axios’s hands. And it seems Trump had a lot to say about these VP contenders.

From Axios:
Everyone is a winner right now as far as former President Trump is concerned, according to an audio recording obtained by Axios…

In the audio, Trump at a private luncheon commented on each of the following lawmakers, giving some insight into his thinking…

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) — “His name is coming up a lot for vice president!”

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) — “As a candidate he did a good job, but as a surrogate he’s unbelievable.”…

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem — “Somebody that I love. She’s been with me, a supporter of mine and I’ve been a supporter of hers for a long time.”…

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) — “Somebody who’s created something very special politically…I like diversity. Diversité as you would say. I like diversité. [Donors] worth millions of dollars…all want a piece of Byron.”

It appears, according to audio obtained by Axios, Trump has plenty of good things to say about a long list of possible VP running mates. Perhaps the media outlet was hoping to get some juicy clips of Trump bashing someone. Instead, in this audio, he is only praising top leaders within the GOP.

He spoke fondly about Sen. Rubio and Sen. Tim Scott, as well as Sen. Vance—who previously didn’t support Trump. He was especially kind to Gov. Kristi Noem, who has been targeted recently by the liberal media and RINOs.

Trump also discussed Rep. Stefanik and Gov. Doug Burgum. Missing from supposedly leaked audio are discussions by Trump about former rivals Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis. Gov. DeSantis recently vowed to help fundraise for Trump, but his role in his campaign or future administration is unknown.

Key Takeaways:

• New audio reveals what Trump thinks about top Republican leaders.
• Most of these names are contenders for his running mate.
• Trump has yet to reveal who he wants to run with him in 2024.

Source: Axios