Vivek Ramaswamy reportedly out of contention for Trump VP spot

Donald Trump has reportedly dropped the biotech entrepreneur and former presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy from his list of potential vice-presidential picks, considering him for a cabinet role instead.

Bloomberg News cited “people briefed on the discussion” in reporting that Trump “personally told Ramaswamy he won’t be his vice-presidential pick … but is considering him for posts including homeland security secretary”.

Ramaswamy is seen as suited for that job, Bloomberg said, because he is the son of immigrants from India, which might help “neutralise” criticism of hardline immigration measures.

Promising to put migrants in camps and institute mass deportations, Trump has repeatedly said migrants are “poisoning the blood of our country” – rhetoric widely compared to that of Adolf Hitler.

Representatives for Ramaswamy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee despite facing 88 criminal charges (for election subversion, retention of classified information and hush-money payments) and multimillion-dollar civil penalties his lawyers say he is struggling to pay.

Trump’s former vice-president, Mike Pence – whose time in the role ended with Trump supporters chanting for his hanging on January 6 – said last week he would not endorse Trump this time. He did not say he would not vote for him.

Jason Miller, a Trump adviser, told Bloomberg speculation was irrelevant.

“Apparently somebody has decided to list out everyone who has ever met President Trump and is now speculating as to their potential participation in a second Trump administration,” Miller said. “The truth is that unless you hear it directly from President Trump or his campaign, this is all BS.”

That did not stop