Washington, DC [US], March 16 : Former Vice President Mike Pence made a surprising declaration on Friday (local time), stating that he "cannot in good conscience," endorse presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, CNN reported.
This statement marks a significant departure from his previous alignment with his former running mate and the president he served alongside.
"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," Pence said on Fox News.
Pence articulated his stance during an appearance on Fox News, expressing concern over the disparity between Trump's current agenda and the conservative principles they upheld during their four years in office.
Although Pence refrained from endorsing any candidate in the 2024 Republican primary following the end of his own presidential bid in October, he had previously committed to supporting the eventual GOP nominee. Trump had urged Pence to endorse him after the former vice president withdrew from the race, emphasising his role in elevating Pence to the vice presidency.
"I chose him, made him vice president. But ... people in politics can be very disloyal," Trump had said.
While Pence expressed pride in the accomplishments of the Trump-Pence administration, he highlighted areas where he believes Trump has deviated from conservative principles. He cited Trump's positions on abortion, the national debt, and the recent reversal on TikTok as examples of this departure.
"During my presidential campaign, I made it clear there were profound differences between me and President Trump on a range of issues. And not just our difference on my constitutional duties that I exercised January 6th," Pence said on 'The Story with Martha MacCallum'.
"As I have watched his candidacy unfold, I've seen him walking away from our commitment to confronting the national debt. I've seen him starting to shy away from a commitment to the sanctity of human life. And this last week, his reversal on getting tough on China and supporting our administration's efforts to force a sale of ByteDance's TikTok," he added, as reported by CNN.
Addressing his own voting intentions in the 2024 general election, Pence opted to keep his choice private, stating, "I'll keep my vote to myself." He affirmed that he would not support President Joe Biden and indicated a reluctance to endorse a third-party candidate.
Pence's break with Trump extends beyond policy differences. Notably, Pence declined to overturn the 2020 election results while presiding over Congress' certification of Biden's victory on January 6, 2021. He later criticised Trump for his role in inciting the violence that unfolded at the Capitol that day, asserting that Trump's "reckless words" endangered lives.
Throughout his own presidential campaign, Pence cautioned against the allure of populism embodied by Trump and his followers. Recently, Pence's advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom, announced a USD 20 million initiative aimed at promoting conservative policies, CNN reported.
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