Former Vice President and Indiana Governor Mike Pence is one of the few Republicans who has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump.
Pence recently spoke in an interview with the Associated Press, saying conservatives must anchor the party. The AP said Pence isn’t hoping to take up the “Never Trump” mindset but will call him out when advocating for long-held conservative principles.
“A strong defense, to American leadership of the free world, limited government, fiscal responsibility, growth, the right to life, traditional values — those were the values that drew me to the Republican Party,” Pence said in the interview. “And I still think that they are the timeless ideals of the party of Lincoln. And so I want to do my part, even as a former elected official, to use whatever remains of my bully pulpit to be a champion for those principles.”
Pence has previously stated he chose the Constitution over Trump. The two diverged following Trump's refusal to accept the 2020 election results. In his 2022 memoir, Pence shared his perspective from the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, where he certified election votes while some rioters chanted to hang him.
He most recently corrected the president after Trump claimed that Ukraine started the war with Russia, a statement most Republican lawmakers have remained silent on.
Mr. President, Ukraine did not “start” this war. Russia launched an unprovoked and brutal invasion claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. The Road to Peace must be built on the Truth.🇺🇸🇺🇦 “Russia Invades Ukraine in Largest European Attack Since WWII” @FoxNews (February 24,… pic.twitter.com/HsWGdyCGOz — Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) February 19, 2025
Pence also spoke against Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for the Department of Health and Human Services. A statement from his political group, Advancing American Freedom, disagreed with Kennedy’s “pro-abortion views.”
Read more: Former VP Mike Pence calls Trump’s HHS nomination 'deeply concerning'
