Trump Calls Into Live Show, Makes Announcement Not Many Expected

Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump participated in a comprehensive interview on Newsmax on Tuesday, discussing his recent conviction in New York among other topics.

In an appearance on "Greg Kelly Reports," Trump shared insights about his forthcoming vice-presidential selection. He praised Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and expressed his “disappointment” with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

“I think I’m going to hold,” Trump told “Greg Kelly Reports,” indicating that he plans to reveal his decision at the Republican National Convention next month in Milwaukee. He also mentioned considering some “unbelievable people” for the role.

“It’s very interesting, I thought Tim Scott didn’t run as good a race as he’s capable of running for himself. But as a surrogate for me, he’s unbelievable. He’s been incredible,” Trump shared with Kelly. “Gov. Burgum from North Dakota has been incredible. [Florida Sen.] Marco Rubio has been great. [Ohio Sen.] J.D. Vance has been great. We’ve had so many great people out there — [former HUD Secretary] Ben Carson — so many great people.”

Trump then spoke about Haley, who continued her campaign through Super Tuesday before suspending it after March 5, having won only Vermont.

“As far as Nikki’s concerned, I was very disappointed in her because she stayed too long. And remember, I beat her in her own state. I beat her very badly everywhere,” Trump remarked. “We beat her in her state, South Carolina, where she was governor, by record numbers.

“And you’re right, some people would be very disappointed if I chose her, and possibly some people would be fine. … She was the last one in, but that doesn’t mean she did the best job outside of me,” Trump added. “[Florida Gov.] Ron DeSantis, by the way, Ron DeSantis has been great over the last couple of months, you see that?

“And everybody’s coming in line. You know why? Because they have to beat these people. They have to beat them. That includes Nikki Haley; has to beat these horrible Democrats, these fascists, these people that want to destroy our country,” Trump stated. “I think people are coming together regardless of anything.”

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Trump also commented on his recent conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York.

“It’s a terrible precedent for our country. Does that mean the next president does it to them? That’s really the question,” Trump told Kelly.

In November 2016, as president-elect, Trump opted not to appoint a special prosecutor to further investigate Hillary Clinton’s deleted emails and private server to aid her “heal.”

“You know, I said on a recent show … when I’d mentioned Hillary’s name, they’d all scream, ‘Lock her up, lock her up,’ and everybody got a kick out of it and all,” Trump told Kelly. “And I said, ‘Wouldn’t it really be bad?’ You know, with — like as an example — Hillary, with the hammering of her cell phones and all of the things she did, but wouldn’t it be terrible to throw the president’s wife and the former secretary of state — think of it, the former secretary of state — but the president’s wife into jail? Wouldn’t that be a terrible thing?

“But they want to do it,” Trump said of the left. “So, you know, it’s a terrible, terrible path that they’re leading us to, and it’s very possible that it’s going to have to happen to them.”

“I got a lot of credit from a lot of people, and some people said I should have done it, but, you know, could have, would have been very easy to do it, but I thought it would be a terrible precedent for our country,” Trump said about pursuing Clinton criminally.

“And now, whoever it may be, you’re going to have to view it very much differently. This is a bad, bad road that they’re leading us down to as a country,” Trump added.