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Michael T. Flynn: Donald Trump’s Vice President Pick Could Be This Retired General — A Registered Democrat

By Nathan Francis
Published on: 09:05 PST, Jul 9, 2016

Michael T. Flynn is a retired general, a big critic of President Barack Obama, a registered Democrat — and could potentially be Donald Trump’s vice president pick.

With just days left until the start of the Republican National Convention, it’s expected that Trump will publicly announce his vice president pick at any time. Trump himself has already limited the field for the pick, feuding with a number of his potential picks and alienating others with his tendency to stir controversy with his off-the-cuff remarks.

Some have already dropped out, including Senator Bob Corker, who told the Washington Post that he took himself out of consideration. Corker had appeared at some events with Trump, leading to speculation that he could be in line for vice president.

But reports now claim that Donald Trump may have settled on a running mate, Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn. The Washington Post noted that the pick would be a “curveball,” especially because of Flynn’s political affiliation. The former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency is a registered Democrat, but insiders said he could add some serious foreign policy experience to a candidate who has none.

“The turn toward a military figure is being driven by Trump himself rather than by his advisers, the people said, and comes as the real estate mogul is telling his friends that national unrest may demand a ‘tough and steady’ presence alongside him on the ticket.

“In Flynn, they added, Trump thinks he would have a partner whom he trusts, based on their close working relationship over the course of the campaign on policy. And he likes the image of a businessman and a general coming to Washington as outsiders.”

To many, the pick would seem to come out of left field. The Los Angeles Times took a rough look at the potential running mates for Donald Trump, and Flynn’s name is not mentioned. The outlet instead suggested picks with a higher stature, including Newt Gingrich and Chris Christie.

But now it seems to be no secret that Michael Flynn is in the mix to become Donald Trump’s running mate. The New York Post interviewed the retired general, who seemed to confirm that he was under consideration.

“All I would say is that I have been honored to serve my country for the past three decades and look forward to serving in other ways now that I am retired from the U.S. Army,” Flynn said. “I’ve been a soldier too long to refuse to entertain any request from a potential commander in chief.”

The unconventional pick would fit what has been an unconventional approach for Donald Trump. The New York Times reported that Trump has an unusually public vetting process, testing out potential candidates on the road in a style similar to a beauty pageant or reality show.

It’s not a completely new approach. The report noted that Mitt Romney also tested his potential candidates out in public, ultimately picking the one with the best chemistry.

“There is precedent for candidates testing how potential running mates fare on the stump. In 2012, Mitt Romney sized up the people he was considering for vice president as they took turns campaigning for and with him that spring. Mr. Romney and his ultimate choice, Representative Paul D. Ryan, now the House speaker, had notable chemistry, bantering easily as they stopped at a Culver’s restaurant for butter burgers and chocolate malts.”

If Donald Trump does pick Michael T. Flynn to serve as his vice president pick, there could be an unconventional announcement as well. Sources close to the campaign said there is some thought — even worry — that Trump could bypass the normal public relations structure and simply announce the pick himself on Twitter.

[Photo by Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Images]

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