GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump said Wednesday that “everybody” was trying to get the support of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who endorsed Mr. Trump Tuesday, and that there could be a role for Mrs. Palin in his administration if she wanted one.
“She called, and it was such an honor because everybody was trying to get Sarah,” Mr. Trump said on NBC’s “Today” show. “Everybody wanted that endorsement.”
Asked if she said why she chose him over Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who she supported for the U.S. Senate in 2012, or acted as if she wrestled with the decision, Mr. Trump said: “Well, I think she likes what she sees.”
“I think she likes what she sees in terms of what I’m talking about in trade, where we’re going to start trading properly; we have some of the greatest people on earth, Carl Icahn and many of the business leaders are going to start negotiating our deals with China, Japan and Mexico, and all of these countries that are beating us so badly in trade,” he said.
“She sees what’s going on with ISIS, she knows my stance on the military, she knows I’m going to take care of our vets, build up our military, and you know, so many other things,” Mr. Trump said.
“Every candidate wanted Sarah — I mean, everybody,” he said. “They all respect her a lot.”
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Asked if he would consider Mrs. Palin, the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, as a running mate, Mr. Trump said it’s not something he thinks she would want to do.
“She’s been through that,” he said. “I haven’t discussed it with her.”
“But she’s somebody I really like and I respect, and certainly she could play a position if she wanted to,” Mr. Trump said. “I don’t think she’d want to do it. … I really don’t get into it right now, because [that] question’s always asked of me, ’Who do you have in mind?’ and I don’t even think about VP right now, and I just want to win.”
“I’ve always been a closer — I get the deal done — and I have to win before I start thinking about that,” he said. “There are a lot of good people in the Republican party. There are a lot of good people.”
“As far as Sarah’s concerned, never asked me about that, never asked me about anything else — just wanted to support,” Mr. Trump said. “And it’s such an honor because, as you know very badly, so many people are so disappointed that she didn’t support them.”
“But certainly, there’d be a role somewhere in the administration if she wanted, and I’m not sure that she does want that,” he said. “But there would certainly be a role.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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