Trump's weird endorsement of 2 Erics at once in a Senate race came after he ran out of time to choose, report says

• Trump on Monday endorsed rival Senate candidates called Eric, not specifying a surname.
• Eric Greitens and Eric Schmitt are battling for the GOP Missouri Senate nomination.

Former President Donald Trump issued an ambiguous statement backing "Eric" in the Missouri GOP Senate, an endorsement that capitalized on a coincidence to encompass both Eric Greitens and Eric Schmitt.

The borderline-comical decision was a deliberate way to get out of choosing, Politico reported in the wake of the endorsement.

Trump on Monday declared that "ERIC has my Complete and Total Endorsement!" without specifying which one.

The ambiguity caused chaos, with both candidates seizing on the statement to claim they had Trump's favor.

According to Politico's sources, the ambiguity was not an error, but down to Trump's inability to make up his mind between Greitens and Schmitt in time for a deadline he set himself.

According to the outlet, Trump called both candidates ahead of Monday-night deadline for making a call, and hinted to both men that he supported them.

In reality, per Politico, Trump still hadn't decided.

Sources told Politico that allies of Trump had been making forceful cases for both candidates, with Kim Guilfoyle, the fiancee of his son Donald Trump Jr, backing Greitens.

RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is said to have argued against that, citing recent scandals that could cost Missouri, a safe seat, comes the November midterms.

(Greitens has been accused of blackmail by a woman with whom he had an affair, and of domestic abuse by his ex-wife. He denies both accusations)

Politico said that the suggestion to endorse "Eric" without a surname was made by a third party, which it did not name.

The idea, it said, caught Trump's imagination. After checking that the spelling of both men's name was indeed identical, Politic said that Trump went for it.

The report sheds light on the often tumultuous process of securing Trump's endorsement, which he has wielded as his main tool for maintaining his control over the Republican Party, endorsing hundreds of candidates in races across the country.

Insider has contacted Trump's spokeswoman for comment on the report.