Trump’s Subtle Shift in His V.P. Calculations

For much of the past year, Donald J. Trump has described his perfect running mate as someone who could easily take over as commander in chief if needed and help him draw a contrast to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

“It’s got to be somebody that can be a good president, which Biden doesn’t have,” Mr. Trump said in April during an interview with Hugh Hewitt, a conservative political commentator.

But now, as the curtain closes on his theatrical selection process, his public statements suggest that his thinking has shifted and he’s giving more weight to political calculations.

Mr. Trump said on Monday his top priority remained someone qualified to be president and then quickly added a second criterion: “Somebody that helps you get elected.”

His new focus on someone who can help him win may stem from indecision over his choice, some allies said. Mr. Trump has said he plans to announce his running mate before or during the Republican National Convention, which begins Monday. Some aides have wondered whether he will announce his pick before then, in time for a campaign rally on Saturday in western Pennsylvania.

Two people who spoke separately with Mr. Trump this week said they had the impression he was still undecided. As of Friday morning, he had not called any of his top three contenders to offer them the position, according to two advisers who insisted on anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.