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Donald Trump’s scowling mugshot will rank among the most famous of all time.

The former president joins celebrities like OJ Simpson, Khloe Kardashian, Hugh Grant and other famous faces who have had their picture taken by the authorities after run-ins with the law.

While in the UK mugshots are only released when a defendant is convicted, in the US they are published as soon as someone is “booked” – or formally indicted.

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump is shown in a police booking mugshot released by the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, after a Grand Jury brought back indictments against him and 18 of his allies in their attempt to overturn the state's 2020 election results in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., August 24, 2023. Fulton County Sheriff's Office/Handout via REUTERS  THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.      TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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Former President Donald Trump’s mugshot

If a fugitive is on the run, however, police make an exception to the rule in a bid to bring them to justice.

Here Sky News looks at some of the most memorable police portraits, from celebrities and crime bosses to dictators.

Justin Bieber

Canadian teen pop singer Justin Bieber is shown in this combo of booking photos provided by the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department in Miami, Florida January 23, 2014. Bieber was arrested in south Florida early Thursday on a drunk driving charge after he was caught drag racing on a main thoroughfare in a rented yellow Lamborghini sports car, according to police. REUTERS/Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department/Handout via Reuters (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT

Bieber was stopped by police in Miami, Florida in 2014 for drag racing in a yellow Lamborghini with his friend, the singer Khalil, who was driving a red Ferrari.

He was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana and prescription drugs, as well as resisting arrest.

The then 19-year-old was driving “anywhere up to 55 to 60mph” in a 30mph zone, according to Miami Beach police chief Raymond Martinez. Mr Martinez said that he was a “little belligerent, using some choice words”.

Reports claimed he asked: “Why the f*** are you doing this?” and “What the f*** did I do? Why did you stop me? I ain’t got no f****** weapons.”

He was detained at 4.09am and his bail was set at $2,500 (£1,987). Eventually, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of driving without due care and attention and resisting arrest without violence.

OJ Simpson

This is the booking mug for O.J. Simpson, taken Friday, June 17, 1994, after he surrendered to authorities at his Brentwood estate in Los Angeles.  Simpson was charged with two counts of murder in connection with the June 12, 1994 slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole, and acquaintance Ronald Goldman. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Police Department)
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Pic: AP

The former NFL star’s dramatic arrest and trial for the alleged murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman are among the most memorable moments in US TV history.

When the pair were found stabbed to death outside Ms Brown’s home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles, Simpson was an immediate person of interest, having been accused of domestic violence a few years before.

He agreed, with his lawyers, to turn himself in five days after the deaths – by 11am on 17 June 1994 – but failed to do so.

Instead, he was chased by police in a white Ford Bronco, which was driven by his former teammate and friend Al Cowlings. Cowlings claimed he was threatening to shoot himself in the head with a pistol unless he was taken home.

Helicopter footage of the chase was broadcast live on TV to around 95 million people – many of whom had been watching the NBA basketball finals until scheduling was interrupted.

In 1995, he was found not guilty of both murders following the ‘trial of the century’, which was broadcast for TV.

This is one of several mugshots of Simpson.

He was convicted again in 2008, this time for robbery and kidnap, as part of a dispute over some of his sporting memorabilia at a Las Vegas casino hotel.

He served nine years in a Nevada prison and was released on parole in 2017.

Hugh Grant

Hugh Grant

Grant described his 1995 arrest for “lewd conduct in a public place” in Los Angeles as an “abominable thing” and a “moment of insanity”.

It came while he was in the US promoting the film Nine Months. On 27 June he was driving down Hollywood’s Sunset Strip when he decided to pick up a sex worker.

Divine Brown, real name Estella Marie Thompson, then performed oral sex on him inside the car in a nearby street, where the pair were picked up by police.

Grant, who had shot to fame for his lead role in Four Weddings and a Funeral, looked sheepish and embarrassed in his mugshot.

He was in a long-term relationship with fellow actor and model Liz Hurley, who said she “felt like she’d been shot” when she heard the news.

In a statement, Grant said: “Last night I did something completely insane. I have hurt people I love and embarrassed people I work with. For both things I am more sorry than I can ever possibly say.”

He did not attend his sentencing but was ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 (£795) and go on an AIDS education programme in his absence.

Brown, who had violated her probation for previous prostitution charges, was given a suspended 180-day prison sentence.

She was reportedly paid $100,000 (£79,500) by the now-defunct News of the World for her story, which saw her claim that Grant had told her: “I always wanted to sleep with a black woman. That’s my fantasy.”

Paris Hilton

Socialite Paris Hilton is pictured in this police booking photograph released on August 28, 2010 by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Hilton has been released by Las Vegas police after her arrest for possessing cocaine Friday night, her lawyer said Saturday. REUTERS/Las Vegas Metropolitian Police/Handout (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT CRIME LAW HEADSHOT) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. I

Seven years after she first shot to notoriety for her leaked sex tape ‘A Night in Paris’, Hilton was arrested for suspected cocaine possession.

The then 29-year-old socialite was detained after a small amount of the drug fell out of her handbag at the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel in Nevada.

She told arresting officers the rolling papers, cash, credit cards and prescription asthma medication that also fell out were hers – but the cocaine belonged to an unidentified friend.

According to Las Vegas police lieutenant Dennis Flynn’s report, she claimed she thought the drug was gum.

She pleaded guilty to two misdemeanour charges of drug possession and obstructing a police officer and was sentenced to a year’s probation, 200 hours of community service and an intensive substance abuse programme.

Hilton, who had already been jailed for 45 days for driving under the influence and alcohol, and tried for marijuana possession, said she was embarrassed to have been photographed by so many people from inside the police car.

Khloe Kardashian

Khloe Kardashian
Pic:Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
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Pic: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

Kardashian was first arrested in Los Angeles in 2007 after she was pulled over by police, breathalysed and found to be over the legal alcohol limit.

She was ordered to carry out community service and attend an alcohol education course.

While she managed to attend some sessions, she skipped a few due to her busy work schedule.

The parole violation saw her hand herself in to the Los Angeles County jail the following year.

Before she surrendered, her mother Kris Jenner was famously captured scolding her sister Kim on their reality TV show Keeping Up With The Kardashians, saying: “Kim, would you stop taking pictures of yourself, your sister is going to jail.”

She was sentenced to 30 days in jail but only served 30 hours due to overcrowding at the facility.

The reality TV star was also ordered to complete another alcohol treatment plan.

Lindsay Lohan

Actress Lindsay Lohan is pictured in this booking photograph released November 15, 2007 by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Lohan checked in and out of jail on Thursday, spending just 84 minutes behind bars for a drunken driving and cocaine-possession conviction, Los Angeles police said. REUTERS/Los Angeles County Sheriff Dept./Handout (UNITED STATES). EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

In the years after she shot to fame for her leading roles in Mean Girls and Freaky Friday, Lohan was arrested and jailed several times.

In 2007 she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour of cocaine use and driving under the influence and was sentenced to a day in prison – but only served just over an hour.

A warrant was put out for her arrest in 2010 after she failed to appear in court for a driving under the influence (DUI) progress hearing.

Just a few months later she was sentenced to 90 days in jail for missing court-ordered counselling sessions – but only served two weeks due to prison overcrowding.

She spent another day behind bars after failing a drugs test in September 2010.

Another jail spell came in 2011 after she pleaded no contest to stealing a necklace.

Although she was arrested for an alleged assault in New York in 2012 she was never prosecuted.

Her final run-in with the law enforcement came in March 2013, which ended in her spending time in rehab having pleaded no contest to reckless driving and lying to police after she crashed her car.

In 2015 her probation ended and she was finally free of court orders for the first time in eight years. Since then she has stayed out of trouble and restarted her acting career.

‘Hot Felon’ Jeremy Meeks

Stockton Police Department photo shows Jeremy Meeks, 30, arrested on June 18, 2014 in a gang crackdown in a crime-ridden area of Stockton, California. The mugshot of Meeks, a convicted felon, went viral on a police Facebook page this week, making him an instant celebrity with Web users who have called him "handsome" and clicked "like" on his picture more than 64,000 times.  REUTERS/Stockton Police/Handout via Reuters  (UNITED STATES - Tags: CRIME LAW TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)..ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Meeks shot to internet fame in 2014 after police released his mugshot online.

Convictions for robbery and assaulting a 16-year-old boy meant he had already spent time in prison, where he was recruited by the North Side Gangster Crips.

But when he was arrested in 2014 in a California gang sweep known as Operation Ceasefire, Stockton Police published his mugshot on their Facebook page, which quickly racked up thousands of likes and earned him the nickname ‘Hot Felon’.

While behind bars for firearm possession and grand theft at the Mendota Federal Correctional Institution, he caught the attention of various modelling agencies.

On his release in 2016, he was signed and began a career in fashion modelling.

He entered a relationship with Topshop heiress Chloe Green, with whom he is now believed to have a child.

Meeks also has a child with his ex-wife Melissa Meeks, who he was married to between 2008 and 2018.

Frank Sinatra

Sinatra was arrested in his hometown of Hoboken, New Jersey on the charge of “seduction” in 1938.

According to the FBI report: “He did then and there have sexual intercourse with the complainant, who was then and there a single female of good repute.”

He was released on bail for $1,500 (£1,192) but re-arrested a month later when police discovered the woman was married.

Sinatra was also one year into his marriage to his first wife Nancy Barbato.

The second charge of adultery was eventually dropped, with the singer only spending a few hours in jail.

Al Capone

U.S. gangster Al Capone has his photo taken while in custody in Philadelphia, May 18, 1929. Capone and his bodyguard were arrested in Philadelphia for carrying concealed deadly weapons on May 17 and were sentenced to terms of one year each within 16 hours of arrest. (AP Photo)
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Pic: AP

One of the most notorious gangsters in US history, Al Capone began his criminal career as a teenager after becoming a member of the Five Points Gang.

He got the nickname Scarface following an altercation with his young rival Frank Gallucio over comments he made about his sister. While he was left with a cut on his left cheek, Gallucio’s actions ultimately saw Capone shoot him dead.

While still in New York, he became a bouncer for various organised crime premises but moved to Chicago to become joint boss of the Chicago Outfit, which illegally supplied alcohol during the Prohibition era.

He spent seven years as head of the syndicate before his intense conflict with the rival North Side Gang left police determined to put him in jail.

Eventually, he was charged with 22 counts of tax evasion and was convicted on five of them in 1931.

He was sentenced to 11 years in a federal prison but was released after eight having showed signs of neurosyphilis. He suffered a stroke and died of a heart attack at the age of 48 in 1947.

Joseph Stalin

Joseph Stalin

Like his predecessor Vladimir Lenin, Russian dictator Joseph Stalin was arrested several times in his younger days and forced into internal exile in Siberia.

Tsarist authorities would repeatedly throw him in prison and banish him from places like Moscow and St Petersburg in a bid to hold onto power – but he often escaped via Baku, Azerbaijan, to return to his ‘illegal work’.

Stalin was exiled to Siberia for the final time in 1913 and remained there until the Russian revolution and the end of the empire in 1917.

This mugshot comes from 1911 – when he was in his early 30s.

During his time as leader of the USSR – from 1924 until his death in 1953 – he oversaw the execution of more than a million of his own citizens.

War crime trials of various Baltic leaders in the 1990s and early 2000s led to the prosecution of some Russian leaders for the crimes they committed during and after the Second World War. Most cases were carried out in their absence.

Vladimir Putin recognises the “horrors of Stalinism” but claims he has been “excessively demonised” by Russia’s enemies.

Bill Gates

Bill Gates was photographed by the Albuquerque, New Mexico police in 1977 after he got a speeding ticket and forgot his license

Gates was arrested for the first time in 1975 for being caught speeding and driving without a licence in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

But his famous mugshot comes from his second arrest two years later.

On 13 December 1977 police pulled him over for failing to stop at a stop sign and driving without a licence again.

The following year he got three speeding fines for going too fast in his Porsche 911.

Gates co-founded Microsoft in 1975, eventually becoming the richest person on Earth – according to Forbes – between 1995 and 2017 – when he was overtaken by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Mick Jagger

Mick Jagger was arrested by Police for drug use during a party at guitarist Keith Richards' home

Jagger was arrested with his Rolling Stones bandmate Keith Richards at Richards’ Sussex countryside cottage in February 1967.

At the time, police were keen to crack down on celebrities taking drugs and began campaigns against various bands including the Stones, The Who and Cream.

Tabloid newspapers, such as the now-defunct News of the World, teamed up with Scotland Yard to help apprehend certain stars.

Jagger was in the process of suing the paper for libel over stories they published about him and his then girlfriend Marianne Faithful, when they swooped on Richards’ home.

After raiding the Redlands estate in Sussex, they arrested Richards for cannabis possession and Jagger for Amphetamines.

They were both convicted and spent a night in prison – but had the charges overturned on appeal.

After their names were cleared, there was widespread condemnation of the police for deciding to prosecute them in the first place.

David Bowie

David Bowie mugshot after he was arrested along with Iggy Pop and another person following a performance in Rochester, New York on 21 March 1976

Like Jagger, Bowie’s police mugshot was stylish. Also like him, he was arrested on drugs charges – but in the US and for marijuana possession.

The arrest happened in Rochester, New York State, in the early hours of 21 May 1976 after a performance at the city’s community war memorial.

Police officers raided his and Iggy Pop’s hotel room and found around 170g of marijuana.

They were taken in with two others, held for three hours and released on bail for $2,000 (£1,500).

Both Bowie and Iggy Pop pleaded not guilty but the charges were eventually dropped after a grand jury decided not to indict them.

Wayne Rooney

English soccer player Wayne Rooney is shown in this booking photo provided January 6, 2019.  Rooney was arrested at Dulles Airport outside Washington D.C., for public intoxication and booked into the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on December 16, 2018.   Loudoun County Sheriff's Office/Handout via REUTERS. ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.

Rooney has been arrested on both sides of the Atlantic, first for public intoxication at the airport in Washington DC while he was playing in the States for DC United in 2018.

According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office: “He was booked into the Loudoun County Adult Detention Centre on December 16 2018, on a charge of public intoxication stemming from an arrest by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police (MWAA).

“He was later released on a personal recognizance bond.”

He was due to appear in court on 24 January – but avoided it with a $25 (£20) fine and paying $91 (£72) in court costs.

He was arrested for being three times over the legal drink-drive limit in Wilmslow, Cheshire the year before.

The former Manchester United star admitted “letting his family down” after being caught at the wheel of another woman’s Volkswagen Beetle at 2am on 1 September 2017.

He appeared at Stockport Magistrates Court and was fined the equivalent of two weeks’ salary – then £320,000 at Everton – and banned from driving for two years.

50 Cent

Before his hip-hop career, Curtis Jackson, now known as 50 Cent, was a drug dealer in his native Queens, New York City.

Having started out aged just 12, he was arrested for direct sale of a controlled substance after he was caught trying to sell four vials of crack cocaine to an undercover police officer in June 1994.

Weeks later, in August, police raided his home to find heroin, crack cocaine and a starter pistol.

He was sentenced to between three and nine years in prison, but as his offences were non-violent, he had the option to undergo the SHOCK programme instead.

The military-style boot camp for first-time offenders saw him out in just six months.

Soon after he was introduced to hip-hop executives – and the rest became music history.

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Texas: Man seen abandoning newborn baby ‘with umbilical cord attached’ on bridge

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Texas: Man seen abandoning newborn baby 'with umbilical cord attached' on bridge

A baby, so recently born it was “still with umbilical cord attached” has been saved by a couple out walking with their own child, after it was abandoned by a man on a bridge in Texas.

According to Sergeant Juan Garcia of the Harris County Sheriff’s Department, the premature girl “still had fresh placenta … so it was freshly born”, and was found at Bear Creek, in the city of Katy, just west of Houston on Saturday.

CCTV footage shows the suspect – described as having a slim build – slowly walk to a bridge with the child.

After placing down the baby, the man then walks away slowly before sprinting out of sight.

Temperatures in the area over the weekend reached as high as 95F (35C), according to the National Weather Agency so the little girl would have had little chance of survival.

Fortunately a young couple walking their own child and dogs then spotted the newborn and called the police.

Daniela Fedele told NBC News affiliate KPRC 2: “We were coming back from our walk this morning, heading home because it was hot.

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“When I went ahead and looked closer, that’s when I noticed a little baby with like her two feet moving.

“I think it was like, am I seeing this, right? Like, are my eyes really seeing a baby here?”

Daniela Fedele and Luis Marin. Pic: KPRC 2
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Daniela Fedele and Luis Marin. Pic: KPRC 2

Her husband, Luis Marin, added: ” I hold it. The baby opens their eyes to me, looked at me.

“We make eye contact. And I’m like, how can somebody just do this?”

Sergeant Garcia described the couple as a “blessing” and said they noticed the suspect walking away before rescuing the child.

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Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez added that the as yet unnamed baby was in good condition and that officers were hunting the man who had abandoned her.

Neither he, or the child’s mother have yet been identified.

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Body of American man found on Greek island – with three other tourists also missing

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Body of American man found on Greek island - with three other tourists also missing

The body of a missing American man has been found on the small Greek island of Mathraki.

He was discovered on a rocky and remote beach on Sunday – three days after being reported missing by the friend he was staying with.

The tourist had last been seen on Tuesday at a cafe with two women who have since left the island.

Mathraki has a population of just 100 people, and is a heavily wooded island to the west of Corfu.

There have been several recent cases where tourists have died or gone missing on Greek islands, with many setting out on hikes in high temperatures.

On Saturday, the body of a 74-year-old man from The Netherlands was discovered by a fire service drone, lying face down in a ravine.

He was found just 300m (984ft) from where he had last been seen six days earlier – walking with difficulty in blistering heat.

Greek officials are continuing to search for three missing tourists in The Cyclades group of islands.

Two French women aged 64 and 73 were reported missing on Sikinos on Friday – and had left their hotels to meet up.

Meanwhile, a search is continuing for a 59-year-old American tourist who went for a solo hike in hot conditions on Amorgos and hasn’t been seen since Tuesday.

Michael Mosley.
Pic:bl/Shutterstock
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Michael Mosley. Pic:bl/Shutterstock

The body of British TV doctor Michael Mosley was discovered on the Greek island of Symi on 9 June – four days after he went missing.

He had gone for a walk on his own from Saint Nikolas Beach, and CCTV footage appeared to show him falling over close to where his body was found.

The 67-year-old’s wife Clare described him as a “wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband” – and said her family had been comforted by the many tributes paid to him.

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Michael Mosley’s body removed from Symi

She added: “We’re taking comfort in the fact that he so very nearly made it.

“He did an incredible climb, took the wrong route and collapsed where he couldn’t be easily seen by the extensive search team.

“Michael was an adventurous man, it’s part of what made him so special. We are so grateful to the extraordinary people on Symi who have worked tirelessly to help find him.”

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A look back at Dr Mosley’s life and career

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Worker who found Dr Mosley speaks out

Greece has experienced two consecutive heatwaves in recent weeks, with temperatures reaching 45C (113F) in some parts of the country.

Some local media outlets have urged officials to tell tourists about the dangers of setting off on hikes in intense heat.

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Who will Donald Trump choose as his running mate?

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Who will Donald Trump choose as his running mate?

Donald Trump needs to choose a running mate for the 2024 election, and rumour has it he’s treating it like his old TV show: The Apprentice.

After a rather high-profile falling out with Mike Pence, the Republican nominee is deciding who could be his next vice president.

He is expected to reveal his choice at the Republican National Convention next month.

Let’s take a look at who the candidates are… and why each of one might hear those famous words: “You’re hired!”.

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum reacts during an event for announcing he enters the 2024 presidential race, joining a growing field of candidates hoping to topple Donald Trump and secure the Republican nomination, in Fargo, North Dakota, U.S. June 7, 2023. REUTERS/Dan Koeck
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North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is seen as a frontrunner. Pic: AP

Doug Burgum

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum hoped his small-town values would appeal to Republican voters enough to choose him as the presidential nominee. It didn’t work, but does it make him an appealing pick for VP?

The 67-year-old former software company executive has stressed his humble origins and previously said the next US president should be “someone who’s held jobs where you shower at the end of the day, not at the beginning”.

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You’re hired: Burgum might be a safe pair of hands due to his experience in the worlds of politics and business, and his independent wealth (north of $100m) could be useful campaign funds.

You’re fired: North Dakota is as red as they come, so picking Burgum doesn’t come with the advantage of moving the dial in a swing state.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., waves before Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at his birthday celebration, hosted by Club 47, in West Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, June 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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Marco Rubio at an event for Donald Trump’s birthday. Pic: AP

Marco Rubio

One of Florida’s two Republican senators, Marco Rubio is the son of Cuban immigrants who fled to Miami during the Batista dictatorship.

He ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 but dropped out after losing the Florida primary to Trump, who relentlessly mocked him as “Little Marco”.

You’re hired: He brings strong foreign policy credentials, having served on the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees, and has a track record of attracting Latino voters.

You’re fired: Rubio has drawn criticism from the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement in the past for his immigration reform legislation which could pose a problem for him, even though he has since renounced his own deal. There’s also the wrinkle that the US constitution appears to possibly prohibit Electoral College electors from voting for inhabitants of their states for both president and vice president.

Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) departs a vote at the U.S. Capitol May 14, 2024. (Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images)
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JD Vance is senator for Ohio. Pic: AP

JD Vance

A US Marines veteran, JD Vance rose to become senator for Ohio after growing up in poverty.

He once described himself as a “never Trumper” but has since U-turned into being a reliable supporter of The Donald, even attending court in New York to support him at his hush money trial.

You’re hired: Vance aligns with Trump’s populist mindset and would likely be palatable to the MAGA base – perhaps even as a potential successor one day.

You’re fired: Ohio hasn’t voted Democrat since 2012 so appointing Vance likely doesn’t give Trump a second-in-command pick who could help get him over the line in a swing state.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump looks to Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., during a Fox News Channel town hall Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
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Donald Trump and Tim Scott earlier this year. Pic: AP

Tim Scott

The only black Republican US senator, Tim Scott launched a bid to become the Republican presidential nominee but later withdrew from the race.

He has since been name-dropped by Trump himself as a possible vice presidential pick.

Scott has accused President Joe Biden and “the radical left” of “attacking every rung of the ladder that helped me climb”.

You’re hired: Scott is seen as a potential asset to Trump both on a policy front and in helping to cut Democratic margins, particularly with Black and Hispanic male voters.

You’re fired: Scott has been outspoken about his support for a federal abortion ban in the aftermath of the fall of Roe v Wade, whereas Trump has said the decision should be left to individual states.

Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., speaks before Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at the ...People's Convention... of Turning Point Action Saturday, June 15, 2024 in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
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Byron Donalds was born in New York City. Pic: AP

Byron Donalds

In terms of having a similar name to Trump, Byron Donalds certainly has the edge over the other potential VP candidates.

Donalds, 45, is a congressman from Florida who has been a supporter of the former president since he entered Congress. He voted against the certification of electors from Arizona and Pennsylvania and is a 2020 election denier.

You’re hired: Donalds is a strong debater with experience on TV who could help the Trump campaign reach out to black voters.

You’re fired: Donalds has a limited national profile and could face a similar constitutional predicament as Marco Rubio as he also lives in Florida.

House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., attends a news conference at the Republican National Committee after a meeting with Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump and the House Republican Conference on Thursday, June 13, 2024. (Tom Williams/Pool via AP)
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Elise Stefanik’s profile has grown within the Republican party. Pic: AP

Elise Stefanik

A Republican congresswoman from New York, Elise Stefanik’s profile has been on the rise in the GOP (Grand Old Party) for years.

She shot to fame after her questioning of university presidents about antisemitism led to a huge outcry and fallout. In May, she addressed the Knesset in Israel and lambasted the Biden administration’s approach to its ally.

You’re hired: One of the few women thought to be on the VP shortlist, Stefanik could help shore up Trump’s support among female and suburban voters as well as bring youth to the ticket.

You’re fired: Stefanik hails from New York, a solidly blue state, so her inclusion on the ticket is unlikely to help bring more Electoral College votes to Trump’s side.

Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., Feb. 22, 2024. (Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images)
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Ben Carson speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference. Pic: AP

Ben Carson

Ben Carson, 72, served in Trump’s administration last time around as secretary for housing and urban development.

His time in government came after he briefly ran for the Republican nomination in 2016 before eventually pulling out of the race and endorsing Trump.

You’re hired: Carson hails from Michigan, a battleground state that is likely to be among the most crucial races to watch on election night.

You’re fired: Though well-known, if Trump is looking for an attack dog VP then Carson might not be the right candidate. He’s not considered to be the most outspoken or charismatic pick.

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David Cameron can ‘kiss my a**’

Less likely – Marjorie Taylor-Greene

A Republican congresswoman known for her embrace of conspiracy theories and fierce support for Trump, Marjorie Taylor-Greene nonetheless could make sense as a running mate for her political hero.

However, she is not believed to be on the list of candidates being vetted by the Trump campaign.

She was elected to Congress in 2020 and quickly became a powerful – and vocal – player in the Republican Party.

If he’s still in post after a hypothetical Trump/MTG win, it would be an awkward appointment for the UK foreign secretary, Lord Cameron, whom Taylor-Greene had choice words for…

You’re hired: Taylor-Greene is staunchly loyal to Trump and popular among the MAGA right-wing of the Republican Party.

You’re fired: She’s a divisive figure nationwide and has been criticised for her – sometimes bizarre – outbursts, including talk of “Jewish space lasers”.

FILE - South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks prior to remarks from Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally, March 16, 2024, in Vandalia, Ohio. South Dakota may be best known for Noem...s no-apologies approach to politics, earning her the favor of former President Donald Trump. On Tuesday, voters will decide what a Republican majority in the South Dakota legislature looks like.  (AP Photo/Jeff Dean, File)
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Kristi Noem speaks at a rally in March. Pic: AP

Less likely – Kristi Noem

The current governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem also has experience as a former member of Congress.

Her profile grew during the COVID-19 pandemic when she declined to close businesses and public spaces in her state to limit the spread of the virus. But it was in 2024 when she became even more well-known… after describing an incident of killing her dog in her own memoir.

As time has gone on she appears to be an increasingly unlikely choice for VP.

You’re hired: Noem brings experience as a state governor and fits in with Trump’s MAGA crowd.

You’re fired: She has been a supporter of the abortion restrictions in her state, where there is a near-total ban except when necessary to save the life of the mother. This hardline stance could make her a liability in a general election where public support for abortion access is high.

Pic: Reuters
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks as she announces she is suspending her campaign, in Charleston, South Carolina, U.S., March 6, 2024. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
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Nikki Haley has been ruled out already. Pic: AP

Already ruled out – Nikki Haley

Nikki Haley ran against Trump in the contest to secure the Republican nomination earlier this year. She weathered a string of defeats in various states before eventually suspending her campaign.

Nonetheless, she demonstrated that a significant proportion of Republican voters prefer her to Trump’s band of MAGA politics, perhaps setting the stage for a return in 2028 and beyond.

Trump has already ruled her out, and she’d be unlikely to accept even if he hadn’t. But just for fun:

You’re hired: She’s a strong politician with a track record of winning elections, and appeals to more moderate Republicans who might be nervous about another Trump presidency. But…

You’re fired: Haley is a critic of Trump, who she described as “unhinged” and too chaotic and divisive to be an effective president.

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