Former Acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell is scheduled to speak in Iowa this week amid early speculation that he is among 2024 vice presidential possibilities for former President Donald Trump.
Grenell is slated to speak Wednesday before the Westside Conservative Club in Urbandale, Iowa, the group said on its Facebook page.
Grenell tweeted that he also will address the Dallas County GOP on Thursday, and he will be speaking about "Donald Trump’s America first strategy."
Trump hasn’t said if he’ll run in 2024, but his standard answer when asked is that his supporters will be "very happy" with his decision.
In a November story about potential running mates, Politico reported that Grenell "has also risen in the estimation of Trump insiders."
"Don’t sleep on Ric. Trump loves him, and unlike [Mike] Pompeo or anyone else, he has no interest in running for president. That's a big issue for Trump," a Trump adviser told Politico.
Grenell told Newsmax in March that became "infuriated" after Democrats, complicit former intelligence analysts, and their friends in the media, effectively used disinformation to sway the 2020 presidential election in President Joe Biden's favor.
"It's infuriating to see people manipulate intelligence for political gain and then have all of the newsrooms in Washington, D.C., completely ignore it," Grenell told "Spicer & Co.," pointing to the Hunter Biden laptop story in October 2020 and the fact that mainstream media outlets are beginning to acknowledge the laptop's existence after earlier skepticism about the narrative.
"This is what happens in Third World countries, Sean," Grenell added to host Sean Spicer. "This is when propagandists protect the ruling party. We have a huge crisis, and there's a big collective yawn in all of Washington, D.C."
Appearances such as those scheduled in Iowa could fuel more speculation that Grenell might be angling to be Trump’s running mate in 2024.
Iowa traditionally has been the first state to hold its presidential nominating contest. Iowa will hold the first-in-the-nation caucuses in 2024, GOP leaders announced in April.
Grenell also campaigned for Adam Laxalt before Nevada’s U.S. Senate Republican primary last week. Laxalt, who had been endorsed by Trump, prevailed in the primary.
Grenell, 55, also is a former United States ambassador to Germany, and under Trump served as a special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.