Pence Deals Final Blow To Trump
Former Vice President Mike Pence made a significant announcement on Friday, revealing that he would refrain from endorsing his former colleague and two-time running mate, Donald Trump, for the upcoming 2024 general election. This decision underscores the deep-seated divisions that have emerged between the two since their tenure in office.
During an appearance on Fox News, Pence, who previously launched an unsuccessful presidential campaign for 2024, articulated his stance, stating, “It should come as no surprise that I will not be endorsing Donald Trump this year.” While expressing pride in the accomplishments of their administration, Pence emphasized that his divergence from Trump on various issues was made evident during his own presidential campaign.
Despite Trump emerging as the presumptive Republican nominee for the forthcoming election, Pence highlighted fundamental disparities between their visions and policies. Pence’s dissent from Trump dates back to the aftermath of the 2020 election, notably on January 6, 2021, when Pence firmly asserted his lack of authority to challenge the election results—a stance that conflicted with Trump’s expectations. Pence further criticized Trump’s handling of key issues such as the national debt, abortion restrictions, and opposition to the TikTok ban, initiatives which Pence deemed incongruent with conservative principles.
Throughout their tenure, Pence remained a steadfast ally to Trump, yet his divergence became evident during his own 2024 GOP primary campaign. Pence consistently cautioned against embracing what he referred to as the “siren song” of populism and raised doubts about Trump’s commitment to conservative policy objectives.
Pence’s decision not to endorse Trump aligns him with other former contenders for the nomination, such as former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who have also refrained from endorsing Trump. Meanwhile, several other former challengers, including Sen. Tim Scott, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, have pledged their support to Trump.
Additionally, Pence’s advocacy group recently announced a $20 million initiative aimed at shaping the conservative agenda and supporting conservative candidates, indicating his continued commitment to advancing conservative principles independently of Trump.