CLEVELAND — Former Gov. Rick Perry says he is open to serving in the administration of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, his former rival in the race for the White House.
"They know that I will come and help if the role is something I'm passionate about, that I'm knowledgeable about," Perry told reporters Monday morning after addressing Texas delegates here at the Republican National Convention.
Perry, an Air Force veteran, went on to acknowledge that he is "pretty limited" in the expertise he believes he could lend.
"The place that I'm passionate about is our veterans and our military, so somewhere in that area is where I would be" helpful, he said.
Perry harshly criticized Trump in his own bid for the White House, though he has significantly warmed up to the billionaire since Trump became the presumptive nominee. The former governor did not make the cut for Trump's short list of running mates, but the billionaire has said he would like to get Perry "involved in some capacity at a high level."
On Monday morning, Perry told reporters that he made clear to the Trump campaign that he was not vice presidential material.
"I told them, 'Listen, I'm not your guy to be vice president because I don't know the Washington inside legislative game,'" Perry said.
In his remarks to the Texas delegation, Perry heaped praise on Trump's ultimate selection for running mate: Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
"I don't think he could've chosen a better individual to be his vice president," Perry said, calling Pence a "steady hand."
Perry is scheduled to address the full convention Monday night. He is expected to introduce Marcus Luttrell, a former Navy SEAL whom the Perry family took in years ago.
