Greg Abbott rules himself out as Trump’s vice-president

The Texas governor re-affirmed his commitment to leading his state when asked if he wanted to be the former president’s running mate

Texas governor Greg Abbott cleared the air about his potential as Donald Trump’s pick for the vice-presidency during an interview on Sunday.

Cecilia Vega, a correspondent for 60 Minutes, asked Mr Abbott if he was interested in being the former president’s number two.

“No,” the governor said.

Donald Trump met with Greg Abbott at the US-Mexico border last week (AP)

Ms Vega’s question came after Mr Trump said the Texas governor is “absolutely” a contender for the vice-presidency on Thursday. The former president’s comment came during a visit to the US-Mexico border in Texas – while there, he echoed Nazi propaganda and purported a lie that migrants speak languages “nobody speaks”.

When Ms Vega asked about the possibility of Mr Trump asking him to join the ticket, he re-affirmed his focus on Texas.

“Listen, I love being governor of Texas,” Mr Abbott said. “I can best aid him in my role by being a great governor of Texas.” The governor has previously made it clear he is running for re-election in 2026. If he wins, Mr Abbott will be the longest-serving president in state history.

Speculation regarding the former president’s new running mate has only grown in recent months, with names like Senator Tim Scott and Representative Elise Stefanik floating around as potential picks.

Mr Trump’s border visit coincided with President Joe Biden making a campaign stop in Brownsville, Texas.

There, Mr Biden said it was “long past time” for action on the border security deal negotiated by a group of bipartisan senators and opposed by several Trump-allied Republicans. The bill proposes a staffing and pay increase for border patrol agents, among many other provisions.

Joe Biden receives a briefing at the US-Mexico border in Brownsville, Texas (Reuters)

“Here’s what I’d say to Mr Trump... instead of telling members of Congress to block this legislation, join me – or I’ll join you – in telling the Congress to pass this bipartisan border security bill,” Mr Biden said.

“We can do it together,” he continued. “You know, and I know, it’s the toughest, most efficient, most effective border security bill this country has ever seen. So, instead of playing politics with the issue, why don’t we just get together and get it done?”

Meanwhile, as Mr Abbott joined the former president at the border, several fires in the Texas Panhandle scorched more than one million acres of land. These blazes include the Smokehouse Creek fire, the largest fire in state history, which was just 15 per cent contained as of Monday morning, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.