Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will announce his running mate on Friday in New York.

Indiana Governor Mike Pence, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich are believed to be on the short-list of vice president candidates.

He has campaigned with all three recently and has a long-running relationship with Gingrich and Christie.

Trump's choice will be one of his most consequential decisions up to this point in the race to the White House.

As a newcomer to politics and policy making in Washington, the billionaire businessman is searching for a partner he can lean on for political experience.

At the same time, he needs to pick a candidate that will attract the Republican Party's conservative base and ease concerns among some in the party about a Trump presidency.

The Republican Party will meet in Cleveland, Ohio next week to select the presidential candidate to go up against Hillary Clinton in the November 8 election.

cw/bw (AFP, Reuters)