(NewsNation) — Mick Mulvaney, an acting White House chief of staff under former President Donald Trump, says he was not surprised that Sen. J.D. Vance was picked as Trump’s running mate.
Trump selected the Ohio senator for the 2024 presidential ticket just days after an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania. The announcement came Monday as members of the party gathered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the Republican National Convention.
Mulvaney said Monday on NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” that Vance’s selection was a “good choice.”
“What a president is looking for is someone who could go out and be their absolute lead surrogate, and I think that’s what Donald Trump got in J.D. Vance,” Mulvaney said.
Mulvaney dismissed concerns about Vance’s age and limited political experience, comparing the 39-year-old senator’s background to that of Barack Obama when he ran for president. He expressed confidence in Vance’s ability to serve as president if necessary.
“The only thing J.D. Vance has to do in order to prove that he’s ready is to properly debate Kamala Harris,” Mulvaney said. “I think everybody expects him to be able to do that.”
Regarding Vance’s past criticism of Trump, Mulvaney downplayed its significance, calling it “part of the business” in politics.
“It’s not going to be a surprise to the Trump team,” Mulvaney said. “Clearly, they’ve worked it through, so I’m not concerned about it.”
Mulvaney said he believes the election will ultimately be about Trump and Biden’s policies rather than their running mates.