Donald Trump Names Ron DeSantis, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Sarah Sanders, Kristi Noem Future of Republican Party

President Donald Trump praised the Republican party for having a “deep bench” of political talent and named several figures who represented the future of the party in an interview released Monday.

Trump commented about the future of the party in a podcast interview with Fox News host Lisa Boothe.

Trump named Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R); Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY); his former press secretary Sarah Sanders, who is running for governor in Arkansas; and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) when asked by Boothe about Republicans he thought were the future of the party.

The former president said he had still yet to make a decision about running for office in 2024, but he would consider endorsing someone else off of the list he had just named.

“There’s a pretty deep bench,” Trump said, adding he would make his decision about running in 2024 or endorsing someone to run at a later date.

The former president did not name his former vice president on the list and even criticized Mike Pence during the interview for failing to contest the election while certifying the election on January 6.

“It’s too bad that Mike Pence didn’t go back because I think you would have had a much different result…” Trump said, and added, “Mike Pence could have sent it back and said, ‘I’m sorry but you’ll have to check this out.”

At the time, Pence argued the founding fathers did not give him the “unilateral authority” to overturn the election in the certification process, which was “largely ceremonial.”

During the interview, Trump also criticized Sen. Mitch McConnell for failing to reign in members of his party including, Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), “little” Ben Sasse (R-NE), and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT).

“These are not good for the Republican party,” he said.

He said the Democrats, however, remained united, which would make them a force in upcoming elections.

“They stick together, they’re smart and they’re vicious,” Trump said. “But they have lousy policy.”