The feud between Donald Trump and Mike Pence is unlike anything we’ve ever seen between a former President and his ex-Vice President. The plot thickened last week when Pence declared he won’t be voting for Trump in November. On Tuesday, Trump issued his response – and it appears he could care less who Pence supports.
Mike Pence Not Voting For Donald Trump In 2024
Pence’s statement came on March 15 during an interview with Fox News. He confirmed that he ‘cannot with good conscience’ endorse Trump in this year’s presidential election – though he remained proud of what they accomplished in their four years in office.
“As I have watched his candidacy unfold, I’ve seen him walking away from our commitment to confronting the national debt,” Pence said – adding that he won’t vote for Joe Biden, either. “I’ve seen him starting to shy away from a commitment to the sanctity of human life.”
First Vice President To Say That About Former President
It’s important to note that what we’re seeing between Trump and Pence is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before – yet no one seems to care. Jonathan V. Last said it best in an article published in The Bulwark:
“It is the most devastating possible observation from the most credible source in existence. Pence’s refusal to endorse Trump should be part of the context of every single story about this campaign,” he wrote.
Trump Claims He Doesn’t Care About Pence’s Statement
While talking to reporters on Tuesday (March 19), Trump – who had just voted in his state’s primaries – was asked to share his thoughts on all the Republicans who refuse to support his campaign, including his former VP.
Trump was as blunt as usual. “Oh, I couldn’t care less. We need patriots. We need strong people in our country,” he said. “Our country is going downhill very fast … We need strong people in this country, we don’t need weak people.”
Trump Previously Said Pence Should Endorse Him
For those who don’t know, Mike Pence announced his bid for the presidency on June 5, 2023. He withdrew from the Republican primary on October 28, at which point Trump invited him to endorse his campaign.
“People are leaving now and they’re all endorsing me,” Trump said in Las Vegas in October. “I don’t know about Mike Pence. He should endorse me. You know why? Because I had a great, successful presidency and he was the vice president.”
Pence Joins Long List of Republicans Not Endorsing Trump
Trump’s statement comes just a few days after Asa Hutchinson penned an op-ed reaffirming his stance against the former President. He and Pence aren’t the only Republican candidates not to endorse Trump – Nikki Haley has also refused to vote for him.
In fact, they’re joined by six Republican Senators, eight Republican Representatives, and three Republican Governors – as well as a long list of former Trump advisors and staff members to oppose his policies and/or dangerous rhetoric.
Mark A. Milley Calls Trump ‘Wannabe Dictator’
Mark A. Milley served as the 20th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from October 2019 to September 2023. His resignation came just one week after Trump suggested he be executed for communicating with China on Jan. 6, 2021.
“We don’t take an oath to a tribe. We don’t take an oath to a religion. We don’t take an oath to a king, or queen, or tyrant, or a dictator. And we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator,” Milley said during his retirement speech last year – an apparent jab at Trump.
Mark Esper Says Trump Is A ‘Threat To Democracy’
Mark Esper served as the 27th United States secretary of defense from 2019 to 2020 under President Trump. He supported the impeachment of Trump and has been a critic of his ever since leaving the Trump Administration.
“And yes, I do regard him as a threat to democracy, democracy as we know it, our institutions, our political culture, all those things that make America great and have defined us as, you know, the oldest democracy on this planet,” Esper told CNN in January.
John Bolton Calls Trump A ‘Danger To U.S. Security’
John Bolton served as the 26th United States National Security Advisor from 2018 to 2019 under President Trump. He has been vocal of Trump’s controversial ways for several years now, but he echoed his viewpoints in an op-ed in January.
“When I became President Trump’s national security adviser in 2018, I assumed the gravity of his responsibilities would discipline even him. I was wrong,” he wrote. “His erratic approach to governance and his dangerous ideas gravely threaten American security. Republican primary voters should take note.”
John Kelly Criticizes Trump For Admiring Autocrats
John Kelly served as White House chief of staff from 2017 to 2019 under President Trump. He has been highly critical of Trump over the past five years, including a rant in October that confirmed a series of controversial stories about Trump.
In his rant, he described Trump as a ‘person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators’ and someone who ‘has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.’
Despite All That, Many Republicans Still Support Trump
The Republican opposition against Trump is stronger now than it was four years ago, but there’s one problem – the louder his critics get, the more loyal his supports become. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing ahead of this year’s general election.
Some of his strongest supporters right now include Steven Mnuchin, Mark Meadows, Steve Bannon, Peter Navarro, Robert C. O’Brien, and a long (and I mean long) list of Republican Senators, Representatives, and Governors.
Bernie Moreno Defends Trump’s Campaign
Bernie Moreno recently won the contentious Ohio GOP Senate primary – meaning he will face Sherrod Brown (D-OH), who has held his seat since 2007. Moreno was heavily supported by Trump, and recently criticized those who no longer endorse the former President.
“This is a good man. This is a great American. This man wakes up every day fighting for us, fighting for this country. He loves this country like no other leader in this nation has ever loved this country,” Moreno said during a speech last Saturday.
Moreno Was Endorsed By Trump In December
Donald Trump endorsed Moreno in December and touted him for being ‘strong on the border, crime, cutting taxes, election integrity, the military/vets’ – adding that he will ‘always protect our under-seige 2nd amendment.’
“Bernie is the type of senator we need to help get our nation back on track for working American families. Bernie will be a fierce voice for the forgotten men and women of this country, and I look forward to working with him in the U.S. Senate,” Trump continued.
