Donald Trump has narrowed his vice presidential shortlist to a handful of contenders as he prepares to announce his pick in the days before 害羞草研究所� or perhaps even at 害羞草研究所� next month害羞草研究所檚 Republican National Convention.

He told reporters Saturday that he already has made his decision and that the person will be in attendance Thursday night in Atlanta at the first debate of the general election campaign against Democratic President Joe Biden.

Trump害羞草研究所檚 choice would likely become the immediate front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination four years from now if Trump were to win a second term, the constitutional limit. But that No. 2 will be under immense pressure from Trump and his allies to show loyalty at all times.

Trump turned on his first vice president, Mike Pence, after Pence rebuffed his boss害羞草研究所� efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, based on false theories promoted by the then-president after his loss to Biden.

Pence has declined to endorse Trump this time around.

Trump has said his top consideration for a vice president is whether someone is qualified to take over as commander in chief.

But other factors at play: Who can raise money? Who performs well on television? Who will be most effective on the debate stage against Vice President Kamala Harris? Who risks overshadowing Trump, as a lame-duck if he is elected in November, with talk soon of 2028? And who has 害羞草研究所渢he look害羞草研究所�?

Trump害羞草研究所檚 campaign has repeatedly cautioned that anyone 害羞草研究所渃laiming to know who or when President Trump will choose his VP is lying, unless the person is named Donald J. Trump.害羞草研究所�

And given Trump害羞草研究所檚 penchant for unpredictability and drama, the best-laid plans could change.

A look at the top contenders heading into the convention in Milwaukee that will begin July 15.

Doug Burgum

Trump likes rich people. North Dakota害羞草研究所檚 two-term governor is most definitely rich.

Before his time as governor, Burgum led a software company that was acquired by Microsoft for more than $1 billion. He also has worked in real estate development and venture capital and spent millions on his own White House bid.

Burgum had initially run against Trump for the 2024 nomination, but the little-known governor from a sparsely-populated state gained little traction. When Burgum dropped his bid, he quickly endorsed the former president. Since then, Burgum has become one of Trump害羞草研究所檚 most visible defenders, appearing frequently on television, joining him at fundraisers, and traveling to New York for Trump害羞草研究所檚 criminal trial.

But more than that, Trump and Burgum have hit it off personally.

Burgum and his wife, Kathryn, are said to get along especially well with Trump and his team 害羞草研究所� the kind of rapport that has particular currency in Trump害羞草研究所檚 orbit. It does not hurt that Trump thinks Burgum looks the part 害羞草研究所� a 害羞草研究所渃entral casting害羞草研究所� pick.

Selecting Burgum would, in some ways, echo Pence: a staid, uncontroversial governor with lesser national name recognition. Burgum, 67, would be unlikely to compete with Trump for the spotlight or to immediately overshadow him with 2028 talk.

Burgum also brings money and rich friends to the table.

But does the Republican Party want two older white guys atop the ticket?

JD Vance

Swept to national prominence by his bestselling memoir, 害羞草研究所淗illbilly Elegy,害羞草研究所� Vance has held office for less than two years. But during his short time in the Senate, the former venture capitalist from Ohio has established himself as one of the fiercest defenders of Trump害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淢ake America Great Again害羞草研究所� agenda, especially when it comes to foreign policy, trade and immigration.

Despite his early criticism of Trump, Vance has become personally close with the former president and his son Donald Trump Jr., who has talked up the senator. Vance has become a fixture of the conservative media circuit, frequently spars with reporters on Capitol Hill and has appeared with Trump at recent fundraisers and at court.

At 39, Vance, would inject some millennial energy into a race that features an 81-year-old (Biden) and a 78-year-old (Trump) at the top of the major parties害羞草研究所� tickets. And a debate with Harris would certainly be heated.

But will Trump be able to get over Vance害羞草研究所檚 record of past insults, which he mentions still?

In 2016, Vance was one of Trump害羞草研究所檚 fiercest critics, casting the then-reality TV star as 害羞草研究所渁 total fraud害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渕oral disaster害羞草研究所� and calling him 害羞草研究所淎merica害羞草研究所檚 Hitler.害羞草研究所�

Vance has said he was proved wrong by Trump害羞草研究所檚 performance in office and the senator now castigates the liberals who made his book a bestseller as they sought a window into understanding Trumpism.

Marco Rubio

If picking Vance would excite Trump害羞草研究所檚 base, choosing the Florida senator might expand the ticket害羞草研究所檚 appeal, particularly among deep-pocketed donors and more establishment-minded and moderate Republicans turned off by Trump害羞草研究所檚 rhetoric and extremism.

Rubio, once seen as a GOP hotshot, is now a well-respected voice on foreign policy and national security issues in his party. The son of Cuban immigrants, he speaks Spanish and could help Trump win over the Hispanic voters that his campaign is eagerly courting.

Rubio is also seen as a skilled debater who could hold his own against Harris.

Running alongside Trump might once have seemed unlikely possibility, given that the two were bitter rivals in 2016 for the GOP nomination and viciously attacked one another. Trump belittled Rubio as 害羞草研究所淟ittle Marco,害羞草研究所� mocked him for drinking water during speeches and called him a 害羞草研究所渘ervous basket case,害羞草研究所� who was 害羞草研究所渄isgusting.害羞草研究所� Rubio said Trump was a 害羞草研究所渃on man害羞草研究所� who tried to 害羞草研究所渟windle害羞草研究所� the Republican Party and Rubio tried to question Trump害羞草研究所檚 manhood.

害羞草研究所淵ou know what they say about men with small hands,害羞草研究所� Rubio quipped at one point during that campaign.

But then there is Rubio害羞草研究所檚 Florida 害羞草研究所減roblem,害羞草研究所� as Trump has called it.

The Constitution says two candidates from the same state cannot run as president and vice president, meaning Rubio would need to change his residency 害羞草研究所� something he is reportedly willing to do.

But does he really want the job? Rubio has been noticeably less present, publicly, than some of the others vying to be Trump害羞草研究所檚 No. 2 and did not appear with Trump at his criminal trial.

Tim Scott

The only Black Republican in the Senate, the South Carolinian would bring racial and stylistic diversity to the GOP ticket as well as a preacher害羞草研究所檚 touch. The self-described 害羞草研究所渂orn-again believer害羞草研究所� often quotes Scripture in political speeches that often reach a crescendo of call-and-response.

Scott and Trump worked closely together while Trump was in the White House on a host of policy issues, including Trump害羞草研究所檚 tax cuts, opportunity zones, and criminal justice reform legislation.

Though Scott ran against Trump for the nomination this year, the senator largely declined to criticize the former president. After failing to gain traction despite millions spent on his behalf by high-profile donors, Scott endorsed Trump over fellow South Carolinian Nikki Haley, Trump害羞草研究所檚 U.N. ambassador, and immediately began enthusiastically campaigning across New Hampshire and South Carolina on Trump害羞草研究所檚 behalf.

He continues to make frequent appearances on television and recently launched a $14 million campaign to win over minority voters in seven key swing states.

Trump has often joked that Scott has made a far better surrogate than he did a candidate.

But that has also raised questions about how Scott might perform on a debate stage with Harris later this year.

Elise Stefanik

The only woman on his shortlist, the New York congresswoman could help Trump win over skeptical college-educated and suburban women who sided with Biden in 2020.

Stefanik was once an aide to former House Speaker Paul Ryan and served in President George W. Bush害羞草研究所檚 White House, working for two Republicans now shunned by Trump loyalists. But she transformed during Trump害羞草研究所檚 four years in office into a fully-fledged Trump acolyte.

She defended him vigorously in both of his impeachment trials and railed against his criminal indictments. In 2022, Stefanik was the first member of Republican House leadership to endorse Trump害羞草研究所檚 campaign, and did so before he had even announced.

She saw her profile rise after her aggressive questioning in December of a trio of university presidents over antisemitism on campus that led to two of their resignations. Trump has repeatedly praised that performance.

Stefanik has spent years ingratiating herself with Trump and positioning herself as one of his most trusted allies and confidantes on Capitol Hill.

But at 39 and a member of the House, does she have enough experience?

Ben Carson

Relationships and trust matter to Trump. Carson, who served as secretary of housing and urban development during Trump害羞草研究所檚 administration, has developed a strong bond with the former president over the years, despite a contentious start as 2016 rivals.

A soft-spoken former renowned neurosurgeon, Carson, 72, could help Trump win over minority voters as the first Black person to be named to a Republican presidential ticket. Given Carson害羞草研究所檚 age and demeanor, there is little chance of him overshadowing Trump or stealing the spotlight.

But Carson also has a history of controversial comments on abortion, guns and other issues that could cause headaches for the ticket.

Byron Donalds

The Florida congressman has become one of Trump害羞草研究所檚 most prominent conservative Black supporters and a reliable surrogate on television and at events.

His selection could help bolster Trump害羞草研究所檚 appeal with Black voters, especially the younger Black men that the campaign has been courting as it tries to eat into Biden害羞草研究所檚 2020 coalition.

At 45, Donalds is also the kind of fresh face who would serve a marked contrast to the men at the top of both parties害羞草研究所� tickets.

But like Rubio, Donalds would likely need to move to join the ticket. And he, too, has a history of controversial statements, including at a recent 害羞草研究所淐ongress, Cognac, and Cigars害羞草研究所� event in Philadelphia, where he seemed to reflect favorably on the Jim Crow era as he talked about 害羞草研究所渢he reinvigoration害羞草研究所� of the Black family.

害羞草研究所淵ou see, during Jim Crow, the Black family was together. During Jim Crow, more Black people were not just conservative 害羞草研究所� Black people always have been conservative-minded 害羞草研究所� but more Black people voted conservatively,害羞草研究所� Donalds said, according to audio from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Jill Colvin, The Associated Press