Trump leaves Pence off list of ‘very good’ Republicans for 2024

Mr Trump said, ‘I think Josh Hawley has shown some real courage in going after big tech ... Somebody that’s been really terrific is Ted Cruz’

Former President Donald Trump left his former Vice President Mike Pence off a list of "very good" possible Republican presidential nominees for 2024.

Speaking on the podcast "The Truth with Lisa Boothe," Mr Trump mentioned several prominent Republicans, but omitted his former loyal right-hand man.

Mr Trump mentioned Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, candidate for Arkansas Governor and Mr Trump's former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem.

Mr Pence is reportedly considering running in 2024. People close to him have told The Washington Post that the rift that opened up between the two men during the Capitol riot on 6 January probably will not ever fully heal.

The Independent reported on 4 March that Mr Trump is considering ditching Mr Pence if the former president decides to try to retake the oval office. Reports at the time said that Mr Trump was considering replacing Mr Pence with a person of colour or a woman.

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"Ron DeSantis is doing a really good job in Florida," Mr Trump said in the podcast interview.

"I think Josh Hawley has shown some real courage in going after big tech... Somebody that's been really terrific is Ted Cruz.

"Rand Paul has been great ... Sarah Huckabee is going to do great in Arkansas. I think that Kristi Noem has done a terrific job ... The Republican Party is stacked."

Mr Trump added that he'll decide on his own possible candidacy at a later time.

On the day of the Capitol riot, he accused Mr Pence of lacking the "courage" to attempt to overturn the electoral college results during the congressional certification, something Mr Pence didn't have the constitutional ability to do.

Mr Trump once again claimed falsely that Mr Pence could have rejected the electoral college results from certain states.

"It's too bad Mike Pence didn't go back, because you would have had a much different result had Mike Pence gone, he could have said, 'I'm sorry, but this was not approved by the state legislature, and according to the Constitution, it had to be,'" Mr Trump claimed without evidence on the podcast.

Mr Pence has made no public comments criticising Mr Trump and is unlikely to do so to any large extent as the party base is still loyal to the 45th president

Mr Trump also took aim and other Republicans, such as Alaska senator Lisa Murkowski and Nebraska senator Ben Sasse, calling him a "loser".

He added that he will endorse Republicans who boost his agenda, even if they've "said something a little bit off-colour with respect to me".

The Independent has reached out to the office of former Vice President Mike Pence for comment.