On Thursday, during his interview with Fox News’s Bret Baier, Donald Trump claimed that he had been talking with Marco Rubio, hinting that the senator was on his list of vice-presidential considerations.

Baier also asked Trump whether former competitor Sen Marco Rubio (R-FL) might be on the short list for running mate, despite the fact the two shared nasty barbs on the campaign trail.

“We’ve had really nice conversations, not necessarily about that,” Trump said, adding, “We always had a very good relationship, Bret, Marco and I. Then it got a little bit nasty… Marco’s a good guy, a really nice guy, and I like him. Not necessarily with respect to any position, but it could happen.”

Trump the counterpuncher spends first 10 minutes of Omaha rally going after Jeb Bush, Lindsey Graham, Paul Ryan; praises Marco Rubio.

— Jacob Rascon (@Jacobnbc) May 6, 2016

Trump, who said Marco Rubio couldn't get elected dog catcher in Florida, now says Rubio is "very popular" there.

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) May 6, 2016

Newsmax even went so far as to report that Rubio was actually lobbying to be VP.

On being Trump's VP-> "In the past several weeks, Rubio was quietly 'lobbying for the job' two sources told Newsmax" https://t.co/JKrYaeM8OG

— Cindy Cooper (@CindyCoops) May 6, 2016

Only one problem…

To be clear, Trump is a Liar McLiarface when he says he's been talking to Rubio… https://t.co/6CBHDfOEc9 #NeverTrump

— Sarah Rumpf (@rumpfshaker) May 7, 2016

However, Trump’s claims of talking to Rubio were completely false, two sources close to Rubio confirmed to Heat Street, emphasizing that Rubio had not spoken to Trump recently and certainly had not expressed support. (emphasis in the original)

In fact, as Rubio’s advisers pointed out, he’s been very busy this week, out of the country on an official Congressional visit to the Middle East. Rubio, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Select Committee on Intelligence, visited with officials in Qatar, Iraq, and Turkey, as well as American military servicemembers and Christian leaders.

If there is one thing that Rubio has been consistent about, it’s his distaste for Donald Trump, as he even detailed on March 13th with Jake Tapper.

So, where did Bret Baier even hear about these now-debunked Rubio conversations – from the Trump camp? And why would Trump then respond so positively about these “nice conversations”? Is Trump trying to soften Rubio up, after repeatedly bashing him during the primary? What on earth could be his motivation for lying about this?