Trump says Pence will be his 2020 running mate

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says Vice President Mike Pence will be his running mate in 2020, impromptu confirmation that could give sign makers a head start on printing political signs for the next presidential election.

In the middle of a news conference at the White House today, the Republican president was unexpectedly asked if Pence would be on the ticket.

Trump said he hadn't asked Pence yet but then turned to the vice president and said: "Mike, will you be my running mate? Will you?"

Pence acknowledged that he would.

The president, emboldened by Republican election wins in the Senate and scornful of GOP candidates he felt didn't sufficiently embrace his support, also delivered a stark warning to the new Democratic House majority: Investigate me, and I'll investigate you – and the government will grind to a halt.

Noting that his Republican Party retained control of the Senate on Tuesday, he said if Democrats in the House come after him, "we've got" a thing called the U.S. Senate.

Some House Democrats have threatened to use the subpoena power they will gain in January to investigate Trump and administration actions. But, he warned, he will respond in kind and government will suffer.

Plus, he said, Democrats have "nothing, zero," on him.