Trump Throws Enormous ‘Curveball’ Hours Before Debate

Former President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to deliver a "curveball" right before the first presidential debate on Thursday night against President Joe Biden.

As per NBC News, sources described as "people familiar with the situation" suggested that Trump might announce his running mate prior to taking the stage with Biden at CNN headquarters.

Trump had previously indicated that he would reveal his chosen candidate before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, starting on July 15.

However, it seems that timeline might have shifted, with Trump contemplating a "curveball" to potentially destabilize Biden further.

"People familiar with discussions about a pre-debate announcement had differing views about Trump’s leanings. One said he is eager to fill his ticket before he squares off with Biden. Another source said he would like the opportunity to throw a curveball to distract Biden before they meet but understands that such a move could create logistical and political complications," NBC reported.

While the reliability of news reports depends on their sources, and anonymously sourced reports should be viewed cautiously, there’s no doubt that Trump announcing his running mate would be a major headline and could overshadow the debate in Atlanta.

Such a move aligns with Trump's style, reminiscent of his campaign launch from the escalator at Trump Tower in 2015.

Reports earlier this week suggested Trump’s "VP list" is now down to three names.

Following a video where Trump claimed he had made up his mind about his pick but hadn't disclosed it yet, CNN’s Alayna Treene noted that his original list had been significantly narrowed.

“There’s so much speculation right now and a lot of anticipation over who Donald Trump is going to ultimately select. And this is the language we’ve heard Donald Trump say for a while, he’s often said that he knows who his choice is going to be,” Treene remarked.

“However, from my conversations with Donald Trump’s team, they’re still not completely, or they haven’t come to a formal decision yet on who he is going to select as his running mate. What I do know is that he has really narrowed his list to three top contenders: That is Doug Burgum, J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio, all people that they believe currently are at the top of his list,” Treene added.

“But of course, this is Donald Trump we’re talking about. Whenever we try to predict who a candidate will pick for VP, it’s always a difficult task. It’s even harder with Donald Trump. And again, when I talk to his team, they say he is someone who changes his mind every day based on who he sees on TV, who he speaks with over the phone. And so until he formally makes his announcement, Donald Trump can change his mind up until the last minute,” she continued.

Speculation about Trump’s "VP list" has been rampant for months.

Other reports suggested that the original list included not just the three finalists, but also Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Tom Cotton (R-AR), as well as Reps. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Elise Stefanik (R-NY).

Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson was also mentioned.

Trump announced earlier this week that he has chosen his vice president.

The former president did not reveal the pick but stated that he had made his decision when speaking to reporters before his rally in Philadelphia on Saturday.

“Trump tells me and @DashaBurns just now: – He’s picked his VP – He hasn’t told them yet – They’ll be at the debate,” NBC News reporter Jake Traylor posted on X, formerly Twitter.