In his first network television interview since the January 6 insurrection, former Vice President Mike Pence is calling out Trump for his role in the uprising. He sat down with ABC’s “World News Tonight” to discuss his thoughts on the repercussions of the former president urging his followers to storm the Capitol.
“I mean, the president’s words were reckless. It was clear he decided to be part of the problem,” Pence explained. He then went on to state that he was “angered” over a tweet from Trump as the insurrection began. Pence also insisted that Trump “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done.”
In other words, he needed to accept his loss to Biden instead of boosting an election conspiracy theory. “I turned to my daughter, who was standing nearby, and I said, ‘It doesn’t take courage to break the law. It takes courage to uphold the law,’” Pence remarked.
The former VP was supervising Congress’ certification of the 2020 Electoral College results on Jan. 6, 2021. However, Trump then ignited a large crowd into seizing the Capitol, forcing Pence as well as congressional lawmakers into lockdown.
“The president’s words were reckless and his actions were reckless,” he stated. “The president’s words that day at the rally [before the riot] endangered me and my family and everyone at the Capitol building.”
Earlier this year at the Young America’s Foundation student conference, Pence also criticized Trump for insisting the 2020 election was rigged. “I don’t know that our movement is that divided. I don’t know that the president and I differ on issues. But we may differ on focus. I truly do believe that elections are about the future,” he said.