Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
President Trump confirmed on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday that Vice President Mike Pence will "100%" be on his ticket again in 2020.
Why it matters: In an interview with "Fox & Friends" last week, Trump made headlines by declining to directly endorse Pence as his successor in 2024, telling the hosts: "You can't put me in that position." Trump explained to NBC's Chuck Todd that he hesitated to answer because "it was a surprise question" and the election is "so far out."
The exchange:
CHUCK TODD: Speaking of driving people crazy, when you were asked about Mike Pence in 2024 and you, and you, and you paused a minute about endorsing him as your successor, that got a lot of people going, "Is Mike Pence 100% on your ticket in 2020?"
TRUMP: Well, look, look -- 100%, yes.
TODD: 100%?
TRUMP: Oh yeah.
TODD: There is no wiggle room?
TRUMP: He's been, he’s been a terrific vice president. He's my friend and --
TODD: Ok.
TRUMP: -- a lot of things. No. Zero. Zero.
TODD: So why'd you hesitate in endorsing him in being, succeeding you?
TRUMP: Because it was a surprise question.
TODD: You hadn’t thought about it?
TRUMP: I mean, you know, I’m not even thinking of it. It's so far out. I mean, It's so far out. That would be the only reason. Now what happens in 2024? I don't know that Mike is going to run. I don't know who's running or anything else.