Former US VP Mike Pence will not endorse Donald Trump
On Friday, March 15, former US Vice President Mike Pence made a significant announcement, stating that he ”cannot in good conscience”, endorse presumptive Republican party nominee, Donald Trump. This declaration marks a stunning rebuke of his former running mate and the president he served alongside.
During an appearance on Fox News, Pence expressed his reservations, asserting that Trump’s agenda diverges from the conservative principles they governed on during their four years together.
He said, “Donald Trump is pursuing and articulating an agenda that is at odds with the conservative agenda that we governed on during our four years. That’s why I cannot in good conscience endorse Donald Trump in this campaign,”
Despite withholding an endorsement in the 2024 Republican primary after ending his own presidential bid in October, Pence had previously pledged to support the eventual Republican nominee. However, he clarified that Trump’s actions and stances, particularly on issues such as abortion, the US national debt, and his reversal on TikTok, have led him to this decision.
Trump had said after Pence dropped out that his former vice president should endorse him, saying, “I chose him, made him vice president. But … people in politics can be very disloyal.”
While Pence did not disclose his intended vote for the 2024 general election, he made it clear that he would not support President Joe Biden or endorse a third-party candidate. Notably, Pence distanced himself from Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, a move that led to a violent breach of the US Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021. Pence described Trump’s actions on that day as “reckless” and emphasized the importance of upholding democratic principles.
Throughout his own presidential campaign, Pence had cautioned against the allure of populism and warned Republicans about following Trump’s lead. His decision to break with Trump underscores the deep divisions within the Republican Party and reflects his commitment to his own principles and values.
