Donald Trump wanted to name his daughter Ivanka as his running mate in the 2016 election, a new book reveals, and even had his campaign conduct polls on the matter.
As Trump’s aides, in June 2016, talked about who to name as the vice presidential candidate, Trump had his own thoughts, according to a forthcoming book by Rick Gates, excepts of which were published by Bloomberg and The Washington Post.
‘I think it should be Ivanka. What about Ivanka as my VP?’ Trump said. ‘Ivanka should be vice president.’
‘All heads turned toward her, and she just looked surprised. We all knew Trump well enough to keep our mouths shut and not laugh,’ Gates wrote. ‘He went on: ‘She’s bright, she’s smart, she’s beautiful, and the people would love her!’
Donald Trump wanted his daughter Ivanka Trump to be his running mate in 2016, a new book revealed – above the two are seen in the White House in April
Donald Trump and Ivanka Trump with Rick Gates (left) and Paul Manafort (right) at the Republican National Convention in July 2016 for a speech rehearsal
It was an idea Trump brought up repeatedly, including during a conversation that included Jared Kushner and all the other adult Trump children, Gates writes in ‘Wicked Game: An Insider’s Story on How Trump Won, Mueller Failed and America Lost.
At the time Ivanka Trump was a fashion and real estate executive who made appearances on her father’s reality show ‘The Apprentice.’ She was also an adviser on her father’s campaign but she had no previous political experience and had never held elective office.
But Trump wasn’t sold on any of the names being pitched to him as part of the Republican ticket, including Mike Pence, the Indiana governor who would eventually get the slot.
Trump’s desire is revealed in Rick Gates’ forth coming book ‘Wicked Game: An Insider’s Story on How Trump Won, Mueller Failed and America Lost,’ which is out October 13
The then-presidential nominee’s actions signaled to his team ‘just how serious he was about putting his politically inexperienced daughter just a heartbeat from the presidency,’ Gates noted.
So the campaign tested her appeal by placing Ivanka Trump’s name next to a dozen potential vice presidential candidates in internal campaign polls.
‘She didn’t poll tremendously high, but higher than we expected, and that only added to the seriousness of her consideration,’ Gates wrote.
It was Ivanka Trump who pulled herself out of contention: ‘She went to her father and said, ‘No, Dad. It’s not a good idea.’ And he capitulated.’
Gates, who served as the campaign’s deputy manager, became a star witness in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. His book comes out October 13.
He writes Trump values loyalty above all which is why he puts family members in key positions.
Ivanka Trump and Kushner both have high-ranking positions in the Trump White House. Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr run the Trump Organization – the family business.
Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly touted his belief Ivanka could be commander in chief.
During an August campaign rally in New Hampshire he said his daughter would make a better president than the Democratic vice presidential nominee Senator Kamala Harris.
‘I want to see the first woman president also, but I don’t want to see the first woman president get into the position the way [Harris] would do it, and she’s not competent, she’s not competent,’ he said.
‘They’re all saying, ‘We want Ivanka!” he said, pointing to his supporters. ‘I don’t blame them.’
This year Ivanka Trump is serving as surrogate for her father on the campaign trail, visiting battleground states like Arizona, North Carolina and Florida.
Gates’ memoir is more defense of the president than a tell-all. It recounts his time on the campaign trail and his experience with Mueller’s probe.
Trump also considered former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice or then-Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee as his running mate.
Both turned him down.
Rick Gates leaves federal court in December 2019
Ivanka Trump on the campaign trail with Vice President Mike Pence in Minnesota last week
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner – seen with two of their children – both serve as White House advisers
Ivanka Trump with her father at the 2016 Republican National Convention – she served as an adviser to the campaign that year
But Pence won Trump over during a breakfast meeting where Pence where he gave a ‘vicious and extended monologue’ about Bill and Hillary Clinton, the book notes.
Gates was indicted by Mueller’s team in October 2017 and became a cooperating witness. He was sentenced to three years in prison and 45 days of confinement for crimes tied to former campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Gates’ testimony helped convict Manafort.