Back in October 1999, Donald Trump made headlines when he revealed that his top choice for a vice presidential candidate was none other than Oprah Winfrey. This surprising announcement came during his first serious consideration of running for president.
Donald Trump’s 1999 Oprah VP Choice
During an appearance on CNN’s Larry King Live, Trump announced that he was forming a presidential exploratory committee. When asked by host Larry King who he would pick as his vice president, Trump answered, “Oprah, I love Oprah. Oprah would always be my first choice.” He praised Winfrey as a “great woman” and a “terrific woman,” noting her popularity and intelligence. He went on to say, “She is somebody that is very special.”
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Donald Trump expressed his admiration for Winfrey and seemed excited about the idea of having her as his running mate, stating, “If she would ever do it, she’d be fantastic.” However, he also acknowledged that Winfrey might not be interested in a political career, admitting, “I don’t know that she would ever do it.”
At the time, Donald Trump was considering running for the Reform Party’s nomination and was confident that he could beat his main rival, Pat Buchanan. He stated that if he did not believe he could win, he would not run at all. Trump made it clear that his goal was not just to gain votes, but to win the presidency.
In February 2000, Trump decided not to continue his campaign and announced that he would not run for president. However, he did win both the California and Michigan primaries for the Reform Party. His remarks about Oprah Winfrey remain a memorable part of his early political career, reflecting his unconventional approach to politics and his admiration for the famous talk show host.
