Who will be Trump's running mate and who is on his campaign team?

JD Vance, Doug Burgum and Marco Rubio are leading contenders to be the vice-presidential pick

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump greets supporters at a campaign rally in Chesapeake, Virginia. AP

As the Republican National Convention begins in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, questions are swirling over who the presumed Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, might pick for his running mate.

Here, The National takes a look at who the presidential hopeful might choose as his potential vice president as well as the people responsible for running his campaign.

Who will Trump pick for his vice president?

Asked in March how many people were on his shortlist for running mate, Trump replied that he was looking at about 15 possibilities. The list has reportedly narrowed in the months since but ultimately, voters will have to wait for the Republican National Convention later this month to find out.

One possible option is JD Vance, a first-term senator from Ohio who became known for his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which focused on his childhood in impoverished Appalachia. Mr Vance is a Yale-educated Marine Corps veteran and is a vocal supporter of Trump.

He is, however, on record criticising Trump, calling him “cultural heroin” in 2016 and musing over whether he is “America's Hitler”. Given Trump's track record in snubbing or going after his critics, Mr Vance might be out before he is in.

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is another of the leading possibilities for Trump's vice president. The two-term governor is one of the wealthiest state leaders in the country, with a net worth of $100 million, according to Forbes.

Both Trump and Mr Burgum are political outsiders, and as a fellow wealthy businessman, the Republican presidential candidate is likely to have found a kindred spirit in the governor. But Mr Burgum does not have a high profile and with dismal polling during his own bid for the presidency last year, it is clear voters might not flock to him.

Marco Rubio, a third-term senator from Florida, ran his own unsuccessful campaign against Trump for the Republican nomination in 2016 but he has since become one of the former president's biggest supporters in Congress. As a Latino, he could help win over undecided voters in that community.

But residency could become an issue, as the US Constitution forbids Electoral College voters from backing a ticket of two candidates from their own state – in this case, Florida. In addition, leaving his seat in the Senate would allow Trump rival Governor Ron DeSantis to fill it.

Though Mr Burgum, Mr Rubio and Mr Vance are the reported top three contenders, there are some outside possibilities.

Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, also threw his hat in the ring for president last year but has enthusiastically toed the Trump line in the months since. The self-described “born-again” Christian who often quotes the Bible in political speeches could be the key to picking up a larger share of the black vote.

Mr Scott has said himself, however, that he is a better surrogate for Trump than vice president, but told Fox News that being the first black Republican on a presidential ticket was “exciting, no matter the outcome”.

Originally seen as a moderate Republican, New York Representative Elise Stefanik came out strong for Trump following his 2019 impeachment and has been his vocal defender ever since. The Trump campaign may be hoping that she could attract more female voters.

However, as a member of the House – not a senator or governor – it could be argued that Ms Stefanik does not have enough political experience for the role.

Who is running Trump's campaign?

Trump has brought together an eclectic group of people for his campaign, with some old faces but new ones as well.

Susie Wiles is Trump's co-campaign manager and has been described by Politico as the “most feared and least known political operative in America”. Her career stretches back over four decades and she has served candidates at every political level, from mayor to president.

Chris LaCivita is Trump's other co-campaign manager and shares broad oversight and strategic duties with Ms Wiles. He has developed political strategies for a range of Republican politicians and has headed conservative super Pacs including Maga Inc.

Jason Miller is a senior campaign adviser with a focus on communications strategy and trying to shape reporting on Trump through frequent contacts with reporters. A long-time political strategist, Mr Miller initially worked for Texas Senator Ted Cruz in the 2016 presidential campaign, which pitted him against Trump.

Communications director Steven Cheung has been with the Trump team since 2016. Before joining the presidential candidate's campaign, he worked with other Republican politicians, including former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

While not as high-profile as those above, national press secretary Karoline Leavitt has made a name for herself defending Trump in the media. The former New Hampshire congressional candidate was booted off a CNN interview last month after accusing the network's moderators of bias against her boss, which would colour the debate.