Pence agrees to be Trump’s 2020 running mate during news conference

Published November 7, 2018 6:08pm ET



President Trump briefly paused his news conference Wednesday to ask Vice President Mike Pence to be his running mate in the 2020 election.

While taking questions from reporters in the White House, Trump said he had not yet asked his vice president whether he’d join him on the 2020 ticket. He then put Pence on the spot and asked him to be his running mate in a televised event.

“I haven’t asked him, but I hope so. Where are you? Mike, will you be my running mate? Huh? Stand up, Mike, please. Raise your right hand, no, I’m only kidding,” Trump said.

Pence stood up and nodded his head in affirmation.

“Will you? Thank you. OK, good. The answer is yes,” Trump said.

[Related: The midterm election results may have just assured Trump’s re-election in 2020]


Trump and Pence defeated Hillary Clinton and her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., in 2016. Democrats are expected to soon begin vying for the party’s nomination to take on the Republican incumbents in 2020.