This Is Perhaps the Craziest, Most On-the-Nose Thing Trump Has Said About a Vice Presidential Hopeful So Far

This is Totally Normal Quote of the Day, a feature highlighting a statement from the news that exemplifies just how extremely normal everything has become.

“Somebody who’s created something very special politically … I like diversity. Diversité, as you would say. I like diversité. [Donors] worth millions of dollars … all want a piece of Byron.” —former President Donald Trump on Florida Rep. Byron Donalds’ viability as a VP pick

With six months remaining until the presidential election, rumors and speculation swirl around who will be appointed Donald Trump’s vice president and running mate.

His political marriage with Mike Pence, his vice president during his time in office, ended rather … acrimoniously, with Pence, his life threatened, choosing not to whitewash the events of the Jan. 6 insurrection. Still, the obvious pitfalls of being Trump’s vice president—terrifying threats and total forced obsolescence—have not deterred other GOP politicians (and outsiders) from jockeying for the position.

Trump hosted a luncheon this past weekend at Mar-a-Lago, where invitations were reportedly reserved for top fundraisers (at least $25,000 for individuals and $100,000 for couples, according to Reuters). Also in attendance were a number of VP hopefuls.

That didn’t stop Trump from chatting about them all in a rather blithe way! In audio Axios obtained from the event, Trump weighed in about several of the contenders, seemingly rattling off whatever came to mind, like a game of memory association.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio? “His name is coming up a lot.” The governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum? “He’s a very rich man.” Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt? “Makes the best commercials … beautiful family.”

Trump also lauded South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as “somebody I love.” Noem has been in the limelight over the past couple of weeks for a rather gory reason—she shot her 14-month-old puppy after deeming the dog worthless for pheasant hunting (and maybe, sorta, dangerous?). “She’s been with me, a supporter of mine, and I’ve been a supporter of hers for a long time,” Trump said. (To be clear, the amicable relationship will not propel Noem back onto his VP shortlist; she had reportedly been demoted as a top pick even before the dog controversy, according to CNN.)

Among the colorful remarks, Trump also doled out a strange and telling compliment to Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, praising him for—or, rather, as—“diversity.”

He called Donalds “somebody who’s created something very special politically,” adding, “I like diversity. Diversité, as you would say. I like diversité. [Donors] worth millions of dollars … all want a piece of Byron.”

Ah, yes, diversité: It’s just like the word diversity but more elegant (eleganté?). Anyway, this is a real case of saying the quiet part out loud. Trump’s party is waging a damaging, over-the-top crusade against diversity—specifically diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives aimed at redressing harm from discriminatory policies and practices. Trump frequently laments that America is a hub of antiwhite racism and that this is perpetuated and evidenced by DEI plans. (It is not.)

Why, then, would “diversity” be an appealing quality to Trump? Perhaps because he, like so many fellow Republicans, is intrigued by the optics of a Black vice president. No wonder they accuse Democrats of caring only about optics; they can’t imagine a world where a diverse hire is about anything more!

Trump himself has faced accusations of racism and has—at the very least—uttered a lot of “racially charged” statements. He also brags about attracting Black voters. (“When I did the mug shot in Atlanta, that mug shot is No. 1,” Trump said. “You know who embraced it more than anyone else? The Black population.”) And he has surrogates who create fake A.I. images of him with Black voters in an attempt to trick Black people into thinking that Trump spends time with them.

Byron Donalds could be the sort of VP pick who would further cement Trump’s ability to get away with self-indulgent asides about why he thinks Black people love him (or should). And then, I guess, he wouldn’t need all those A.I. images. It’s a brave new world!