Mike Pence received the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Awards for his actions after the GOP’s 2020 Presidential Election loss, and after a day, he sat down with CNN for an interview where he criticized the Donald Trump administration in tough words. The award lauded him “for putting his life and career on the line to ensure the constitutional transfer of presidential power on January 6, 2021.”
In his interview with Kaitlan Collins of CNN, the former VP did not hold back when pointing out what the Trump government was doing wrong. Besides criticizing Trump’s tariff policies, Pence also slammed his government for the pardoning of the rioters of January 6, 2021. Talking about how he felt regarding Trump’s decision with the pardons, he said, “I thought it sent the wrong message.”
Pence further added, “Whatever the future holds for me, I’m going to try and be a consistent voice for those conservative values that I think are not only the right policy for the Republican Party, but I think they’re the best way forward for a boundless future for the American people.”
He also said, “I was deeply disappointed to see President Trump pardon people that engaged in violence against law enforcement officers that day. The president has every right under the Constitution to grant pardons, but in that moment, I thought it sent the wrong message.”
Pence also mentioned that envisioning a future together meant finding common ground, as he added, “I hope in some small way my presence here tonight is a reminder that whatever differences we may have as Americans, the Constitution is the common ground on which we stand. It’s what binds us across time and generations. …. It’s what makes us one people.”
What Pence said is especially valuable when it is put into context with what Trump said in an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker that aired hours before Pence’s. In that interview, when Trump was asked if he believed that both American and non-American citizens deserved due process as per the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution, the American President said, “I don’t know. I’m not, I’m not a lawyer. I don’t know.”
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It is important to note here that Pence never mentioned Trump directly but the references to him were all too clear. He mentioned that previously he had problems with the Democrats but now he also has issues with his own Republican party regarding “spending, tariffs, and my belief that America is the leader of the free world and must stand with Ukraine until the Russian invasion is repelled and a just and lasting peace is secured.”
It now remains to be seen if Donald Trump responds to any of the things that Pence said in his interview or simply continues in his own way like he has been doing since he came back to the office.
