Shark Tank Investor Kevin O’Leary is going all-in for one of the leading contenders to be former President Trump’s running mate in 2024.
In an interview on “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Mr. Wonderful gave a glowing endorsement to North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who he said would be a “terrific” choice for Trump.
“I’ve been going to North Dakota for years now and seen what he can do with his execution skills. His track record is incredible in what he’s done for the state,” O said ‘Leary Saturday.
O’Leary recounted how he met Burgum after a “Shark Tank” deal brought him to Fargo years ago and the governor convinced him to start investing in North Dakota.
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Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, arrives to speak at a nighttime caucus rally in Las Vegas, February 8, 2024, as North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum looks on. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“His record is incredible in what he’s done for the state,” he said. “Very few Americans know that the richest citizens in the country in terms of sovereign wealth are those who live in North Dakota. Doug Burgum did it.”
He suggested that Burgum is the executive Trump needs to implement his program, to be “the guy who gets things done.”
“I don’t see these skills proven in any other candidate, so I’m unapologetically supporting someone I know in the business world who is a phenomenal leader.”
Trump has remained tight-lipped about his potential 2024 Republican presidential pick. In a recent interview with Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., Trump said he had “a pretty good idea” of who will be his vice-presidential running mate, but that his selection would likely win. This will not be announced until the RNC convention in August.
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Investor and television personality Kevin O’Leary says former President Trump should choose North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as his 2024 running mate. (Piers Morgan “Uncensored”)
The former president traveled to Washington last week to meet with Republican lawmakers and unify the party ahead of the convention.
Asked if his choice for vice president was among those he met with, Trump said: “Probably. I don’t want to go, but I think it will probably be announced at the convention.”
“There were good people, and we have very good people.”
The convention will be held July 15-18 in Milwaukee.
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North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum speaks during a campaign event with former U.S. President Donald Trump, in Laconia, New Hampshire, U.S., Monday, January 22, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Several names were reportedly on Trump’s shortlist. In addition to Burgum, there are Senator JD Vance, Republican of Ohio, and Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, from whom the Trump campaign formally requested documents for the vice presidential selection process early of the month.
Other senators under consideration are Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Tim Scott of South Carolina, Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida and Elise Stefanik of New York, as well as retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who was Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Trump administration.
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But Burgum is the obvious choice for O’Leary.
“He’s pro-business, he’s pro-growth, he’s pro-innovation, he’s pro-entrepreneur. You would want that in every state. I know it sounds crazy, but if you’re a Democrat right now listening that, you want Doug Burgum as vice president…he is in no way partisan when it comes to growing the American economy He works with both sides all the time.
Aishah Hasnie of Fox News and Louis Casiano and Paul Steinhauser of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
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