Trump's VP announcement could come as early as this week

Former President Donald Trump could announce his pick to be his vice presidential running mate as early as this week, possibly ahead of Thursday's debate, according to four people familiar with the situation.

Trump has said publicly that he intends to announce his pick shortly before, or at, the Republican convention next month.

But there have been high-level discussions in recent days within the Trump campaign about moving that timeline up and making a splash sooner, according to these sources, who requested anonymity to speak frankly.

The sources also cautioned that the timing is not yet final and that the decision could still happen closer to the convention.

After this article was published, Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita tweeted, "yes ..it could come as soon as today …or …sometime in mid july !!"

Trump will be in Atlanta on Thursday for his first debate against President Joe Biden. He has a rally scheduled Friday in Virginia.

The planning comes less than a month before the Republican National Convention, which is set to begin July 15 in Milwaukee. Four days beforehand, Trump is due to be sentenced for his conviction in New York on 34 counts of falsifying business documents related to hush money payments to cover up a sexual encounter with adult film star Stormy Daniels, an affair he has denied occurred.

That gives him a limited window in which to introduce his running mate to the public.

NBC News reported Friday that North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida were still high on the list of potential picks.

Trump said over the weekend that he knows whom he will choose and that his running mate will be present for the debate, which will be hosted by CNN in