The Real Reason Donald Trump Wanted Ivanka As His Running Mate

As it turns out, Vice President Mike Pence might not have been Donald Trump's first choice for VP. The claim appears in a new book by Rick Gates, who worked as Trump's deputy campaign chairman during the summer of 2016. As for Trump's first pick? Look no further than his daughter, Ivanka Trump. Gates outlined the wild scenario in Wicked Game: An Insider's Story on How Trump Won, Mueller Failed and America Lost, which will hit shelves on Oct. 13, 2020.

Gates described in-depth how Trump struggled for a month to pick a vice president who he could completely trust, according to Bloomberg's exclusive preview of the book. Ultimately, Trump settled for then Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who has been notably loyal to the president, defending him against criticism time and time again. But despite this allegiance, it was Ivanka who Trump initially wanted. 

Here all of the details about Trump's supposedly tough decision to name his vice president, including why he wanted Ivanka to fill the role.

Bloomberg gained an exclusive preview to Rick Gates' book, Wicked Game: An Insider's Story on How Trump Won, Mueller Failed and America Lost, due to come out on Oct. 13, 2020. And according to the outlet, Gates wrote about Donald Trump's wish to have his daughter, Ivanka Trump, serve as his vice president, a conversation that included her husband, Jared Kushner, and the other Trump children. Gates wrote about the reaction to this discussion, as previewed in Bloomberg, "During a VP discussion that included Jared and the other kids all assembled in one room, Trump said, 'I think it should be Ivanka. What about Ivanka as my VP?' There was silence." Awkward.

As The Washington Post pointed out, Ivanka was then 34-years-old, and although she had experience in both fashion and real estate, she had no political experience. Gates continued to describe the scene of Trump choosing Ivanka, writing, per Bloomberg, "All heads turned toward her, and she just looked surprised. We all knew Trump well enough to keep our mouths shut and not laugh." Unaware of what everyone was thinking, Trump supposedly gushed, "She's bright, she's smart, she's beautiful, and the people would love her!"' Gates recalled thinking, "He's not joking."

Although Gates' book includes some interesting moments, his book isn't a scathing critique of Trump, as The Washington Post noted. Instead, it paints a picture of how Trump got elected, as well as the president's desire to keep his family close.