US Senator Tim Scott speaks to members of the media following the third Republican presidential primary debate on November 8, 2023
AFP

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) stated that former President Donald Trump did not mention the prospect of being his running mate during a recent gathering.

In an interview on NBC News's "Meet the Press," on Sunday, Scott said that he expects a decision on Trump's vice-presidential running mate to be made within the next 60 days.

"We had no conversations about the VP pick, to be honest with you, to be clear, but we had a lot of conversations about the failures of Joe Biden and the success of Donald Trump," Scott said.

When asked about his thoughts on being on the shortlist for VP, Scott added, "I hope that the President will choose a person who helps the country unite and heal. l I certainly expect to have a decision from President Trump in the next 60 days or so, but he did not bring it up. I certainly didn't bring it up."

"I'm excited that in this nation, a poor kid from South Carolina could rise to the level of being a United States Senator," Scott continued. "It just tells me that all things are possible for kids growing up in poverty today. Listen to this show and know that all things are possible for your future."

When questioned about Trump's reluctance to pledge acceptance of the 2024 election outcome, regardless of the winner, Scott evaded the question multiple times.

"There is clear facts here. President Trump himself said he expects this election to be fair. He expects it to be honest. And he expects to win. That's what the presidential candidate should expect, and I expect the exact same thing, and frankly, the American people agree with him. This is an issue that is not an issue so I'm not going to make it an issue," said Scott.

At one point, Scott said, "I'm not going to answer your hypothetical question when in fact I believe the American people are speaking today on the results of the election."

Scott was among a small group of Republicans who convened at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend for a private event with prominent GOP donors and leaders. The gathering was widely perceived as an opportunity to vie for the role of Trump's running mate in the 2024 election.

The guest lists included many of those who are rumored to be on that list, including South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), Gov. Doug Burgum (R-N.D.), Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance (R), House GOP conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla), and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.).

According to CNN, Trump called some individuals from his VP shortlist to the stage during the event, excluding Noem, who departed early. Noem has faced scrutiny following a viral anecdote from her book about euthanizing her dog.

At the event, Trump criticized his primary presidential rival, Joe Biden, likening the current administration to the secret police force of Nazi Germany.