REPORT: Trump now expects to announce his VP pick before convention

REUTERS/Aaron Josefczyk

Donald Trump expects to announce his running mate before the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, an aide told The New York Times in a story published Friday.

The move would be a sharp change in direction for the Trump campaign, as the Manhattan billionaire has repeatedly said he would like to do things the "old-fashioned" way and announce his pick for vice president at the convention, which is July 18-21.

The aide who spoke with The Times said that announcing in Cleveland was the original plan, but the thinking had changed and the campaign now expected to unveil the selection beforehand.

The recent trend in polls indicates Trump has lost momentum to his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. Only one national poll in recent weeks showed the Republican candidate with a lead against the former secretary of state.

Candidates can typically expect to see a bump in numbers after announcing their running mate, something the Trump campaign could see as a persuading factor to do so before the July convention.

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