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By Matthew Watkins, The Texas Tribune
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Donald Trump stated Thursday throughout a go to to the Texas-Mexico border that Gov. Greg Abbott is “completely” on his quick listing of potential vice presidential candidates for his 2024 run.
Throughout a joint interview with Abbott on Fox Information, the previous president was requested by host Sean Hannity whether or not Abbott was into consideration for the place. Trump responded that Abbott is “a spectacular man” and he was honored when Abbott endorsed him for president final yr.
“And he’s carried out an awesome job,” Trump stated. “Yeah, actually he could be any person that I might very a lot take into account.”
“So he’s on the listing?” Hannity stated.
“Completely, he’s,” Trump replied, as Abbott regarded on.
On Friday, Abbott downplayed his curiosity in such a task at a press convention.
“Clearly it’s extremely good of him to say, however I believe you all know that my focus is totally on the state of Texas,” he stated. “As you understand, I am working proper now on the midterm election course of. I’ve already talked about that I’ve introduced that I am working for reelection two years from now, and so my dedication is to Texas and I am staying in Texas.”
Within the Thursday inteview, Hannity requested Trump if there was anybody else on the quick listing, and Trump named U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina who was not too long ago an opponent within the GOP main for president. Scott has since endorsed Trump, and Trump referred to as him an “unbelievable” marketing campaign surrogate.
Abbott has not at all times embraced Trump as a lot as another statewide officers like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who twice chaired Trump’s marketing campaign in Texas.
Trump and his allies have additionally proven occasional indicators of frustration with Abbott through the years. Final Could, Trump questioned on his Reality Social platform why Abbott was not talking out in regards to the Texas Home’s impeachment of Lawyer Common Ken Paxton, a high Trump ally in Texas.
However Abbott and Trump have beforehand discovered methods to shore up their relationship at election time. Trump gave Abbott an early and essential endorsement in his contested main for reelection in 2022, and Abbott appeared at a Trump rally within the Houston space weeks earlier than the first, which the governor simply received.
Abbott has lately generated nationwide consideration for his aggressive insurance policies associated to the border and immigration. He has pushed Texas to make use of state funds to construct border limitations, persevering with one in every of Trump’s signature insurance policies. Abbott has spent billions of state {dollars} on border enforcement, enlisting the Texas Nationwide Guard and Division of Public Security troopers to police the area. He’s additionally spent hundreds of thousands of {dollars} busing migrants to cities led by Democrats. And he’s confronted the Biden administration’s border authority by blocking Border Patrol entry to a ship ramp in a public park alongside the Rio Grande.
Trump visited that park with Abbott on Thursday to name consideration to President Joe Biden’s dealing with of immigration. Whereas there, he praised Abbott’s border safety efforts.
Trump additionally praised Abbott’s deployment of concertina wire alongside the Rio Grande and efforts to arrest migrants who cross the border illegally.
“He actually stepped it up,” Trump stated of the governor. “It has been wonderful.”
[As Biden and Trump visit the border, many Texas residents feel ignored]
The 2 males spent a lot of Thursday collectively, touring Texas’ border with Mexico in Eagle Move and discussing Abbott’s border safety efforts. Throughout his transient tackle to reporters afterwards, Trump praised Abbott.
“That is an unbelievable operation,” Trump stated.
At one level, Trump talked about that a number of Republicans within the U.S. Senate are vying for his help to interchange outgoing minority chief Mitch McConnell. Regardless that Abbott is just not a U.S. senator — and the place is just not chosen by presidential candidates — Trump joked that he may select Abbott.
“I’d relatively be governor of Texas,” Abbott retorted.
“I believe you’re doing properly,” Trump stated. “I wish to hold you in Texas.”
[In two Texas border towns, Biden and Trump push for different immigration approaches]
Democrats, in the meantime, have blasted Abbott’s border insurance policies as political opportunism that dehumanizes migrants and wastes state assets that may very well be higher spent on different priorities.
Biden was additionally on the Texas-Mexico border on Thursday. From Brownsville, he referred to as out Trump — and requested him to push Congress to move vital immigration laws.
“As an alternative of telling members of Congress to dam this laws, be a part of me, or I am going to be a part of you, in telling the Congress to move this bipartisan border safety invoice,” he stated. “We are able to do it collectively.”
This text initially appeared in The Texas Tribune.
The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and fascinating Texans on state politics and coverage. Be taught extra at texastribune.org.
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