Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) was subjected to much ridicule Monday after sources confirmed he'd been snubbed by former President Donald Trump and would not be chosen as his running mate.
"All that sucking up for nothing," quipped podcaster Zach Wilson.
Reuters national politics reporter Gram Slattery was among the first to report Rubio received word he'd been passed over as a potential vice president, just hours before Trump is expected to make the big announcement.
Rubio's ouster makes it increasingly likely Trump will pick Sen. J.D. Vance, the Ohio Republican who transformed himself from a "never-Trump guy" to a blue blazer-clad MAGA fan.
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Republican North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has apparently been told the same as Rubio. Other Republicans who apparently have not yet been ruled out include South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.
News that Rubio's name would not be announced at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee was not met with much sympathy on social media.
Several X users echoed Trump's own taunts over Rubio's height of about 5 foot 9 inches tall when he ran against the Florida Republican in 2016.
"Marco Rubio is no longer in the race for VP," replied Armand Hamouth. "He came up short."
"Poor lil buddy," added Alice Cooper.
"Damn," wrote @Czechmate. "I was rootin’ for Li’l Marco."
"Unpack the suitcases, sweetie," suggested @ThinkingMunk.
Others directed their jabs at Vance — who, for the record, appears to stand 5 foot 7 inches tall — and Trump himself.
"It will be Vance," added X user Sandy. "Trump likes pretty boys."
X user Enif suggested Trump was reliving his reality television host days when his favorite catchphrase was, "You're fired."
"Are these rejections just gonna trickle in one by one," Enif wrote, "like he’s firing ppl on the apprentice?"
Multiple people responded with a single word: "Yes."
