DES MOINES, Iowa – Former President Donald Trump said at a Fox News town hall in Iowa on Wednesday evening that he’s already decided on a vice presidential running mate for the general election, but declined to name the person.

Asked about the process of selecting his partner on the 2024 ticket if nominated, Trump said, “I know who it’s going to be.”

With the Iowa Caucuses just five days away, Trump answered questions from Iowans and Fox anchors Bret Baier and Martha McCallum at the Iowa Events Center. Just a few miles away, CNN was hosting a debate at Drake University featuring former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump was invited to the debate but declined, as he has with each debate this campaign cycle.

Chris LaCivita and Jason Miller, senior campaign advisers to Trump, told reporters after the town hall that he had spoken to close allies about what “qualities” he had been looking for in a candidate but had not explicitly discussed names. They declined to elaborate on those qualities.

“That’s an issue that we really have not in any great detail discussed,” LaCivita said. “I’m sure when that times comes, everybody will know who it is.”

Trump’s vice president in his first term, Mike Pence, launched a challenge to him this year but dropped out of the race when he failed to garner significant support in Iowa and other early states.

Trump town hall highlights: He mocks Christie’s exit, downplays ‘retribution’ in a 2nd term

Takeaways: Attack Haley, DeSantis, and Biden – and tease the vice presidency

Pence, whose life was threatened during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and who on the trail touted that he “kept his oath” and certified the 2020 election results, has urged Republicans to choose another candidate in 2024.

Trump has been the runaway front-runner in polls in Iowa and nationally. In a December Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa Poll, 51% of likely Republican caucusgoers named Trump as their first choice for president. DeSantis was the first choice of 19% and Haley 16%, each seeking to break out as the main alternative to Trump.

More: Catch up on the biggest moments, who won from the Iowa Republican debate and Trump event

Galen Bacharier covers politics for the Register. Reach him at gbacharier@registermedia.com or (573) 219-7440, and follow him on Twitter @galenbacharier.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Who will be Trump VP? In Iowa, he says he’s decided on vice president pick