As supporters of former President Donald Trump eagerly await his vice presidential pick, online investigators have discovered a possible clue hinting at his selection. Users of X on Thursday found a URL linking Trump to Doug Burgum, the popular governor of North Dakota and former Republican presidential candidate. The domain, www.trumpburgum.com, redirects to Trump’s main campaign page, sparking speculation that Burgum might be Trump’s choice for running mate.
Philip Reichert from the American Conservation Coalition was the first to notice the redirection. He noted that other potential VP domains, such as TrumpVance, TrumpScott, TrumpRubio, and TrumpStefanik, do not redirect to Trump’s campaign site, suggesting that Burgum might indeed be the favored pick. These other domains are reserved, meaning they could still be activated if the nominee turns out to be someone else.
According to ICANN, TrumpBurgum.com was registered by a creator in Iceland in September 2023. This could be a case of domain parking, where a URL is purchased in anticipation of its future popularity, similar to what happened with Facebook’s transition to Meta.
Governor Burgum, known for his earnest midwestern appeal, could help Trump attract key voter demographics like suburban women. His support of the MAGA brand in a more palatable style has earned him praise among Trump allies. Burgum has already shown support for Trump, including outside his Manhattan trial and in various battleground states.
While Burgum appears to be a strong contender, other potential candidates are still in the mix. Trump has been impressed with Sen. Marco Rubio for his defense in Trump’s classified documents trial and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik for her stance on antisemitism in Ivy League schools. The Trump campaign has requested background documents from several high-profile Republicans, indicating serious consideration. This list includes GOP Senators J.D. Vance and Tim Scott, Rep. Byron Donalds, and neurosurgeon Ben Carson.
And neither TrumpVance, TrumpScott, TrumpRubio, TrumpStefanik, nor any of the other three vetted Veep domains redirects.
— John William Schiffbauer (@JWSGOP) June 19, 2024
