During a recent media tour to promote his new book, Mike Pence issued a stark warning to his former boss, Donald Trump, while engaging with major television networks across the nation.
In a conversation with Kristen Welker, host of NBC’s Meet the Press, the former Vice President revealed the motivation behind his book. He described it as a response to what he sees as a “new threat” to the traditional conservative values within the Republican Party, a threat he attributes to the rise of populist influences.
Pence openly criticized the current GOP’s shift towards right-wing populism that has gained momentum during Trump’s tenure. He expressed concerns over the party’s acceptance of policies like “broad-based tariffs, nationalization of businesses, and price controls,” which he believes deviate from historic conservatism.
In another appearance on CBS’s Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, Pence reflected on Trump’s political identity, stating that Trump himself has acknowledged he’s “not a conservative” and has never claimed to be one. This, according to Pence, marks a significant shift within the party.
When the discussion turned to JD Vance, Trump’s current Vice President, Pence admitted to being “less clear” about Vance’s political stance. However, he emphasized that his book outlines the internal tensions within the Republican Party, as it grapples with the populist agenda that Trump has championed.
Pence underscored the importance of this ideological clash, warning that these populist elements could redefine the GOP’s future direction, potentially reshaping its core principles.
‘I think that’d be bad for the Republican party. I think it’d be worse for the country that needs a vigorous, strong conservative party committed to freedom, committed to free markets, committed to traditional values,’ Pence added.
The former vice president also criticized the current Trump administration for not ending the nationwide access to the abortion pill which was made possible by the Biden administration.
Mike Pence delivers remarks at the Faith and Freedom Road to Majority conference at the Washington Hilton on June 23, 2023 in Washington, DC
Donald Trump and Mike Pence attend a campaign rally at Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, Michigan, on November 2, 2020
Abortion opponents have previously said they have no plans to let Trump avoid the issue for the remainder of his term.
Marc Wheat, general counsel at former Pence´s political advocacy group Advancing American Freedom, has said that his group will increase pressure on the administration.
Those efforts will include urging the FDA to speedily release documents about mifepristone that it owes the group through a lawsuit.
‘President Trump thinks that pro-life is a loser,’ Wheat said earlier this month.
‘He might see that the pro-lifers may not turn out in the numbers that he needs.’
Even as Trump and the Republican-led Congress face mounting pressure from the right to restrict access to medication abortion, Republicans around the country are far from united in taking that position.
Donald Trump stands with Mike Pence on the third day of the Republican National Convention on July 20, 2016
Advancing American Freedom has grown significantly in recent months in part as conservative thinkers and scholars work to create a place to advocate for traditional conservative values in the Trump era.
Pence’s feud with Trump started after the then-vice president voted to certify Trump’s 2020 electoral loss on January 6th, 2021.
During his Sunday press rounds, Pence was also questioned on whether or not he would be supportive of Texas’ GOP nominee for the US Senate seat Ken Paxton, who ousted incumbent Senator John Cornyn in a primary contest last week.
Pence stopped short of endorsing Paxton but stated that he could never back Democrat James Talarico ‘who is a radical left,’ and a major proponent of abortion, before admitting that ‘in many respects Republicans have lost our way. But Democrats have lost their mind.’
Pence also offered a bold midterm prediction, in which he sees Republicans keeping the US Senate in their control, as well as having ‘a real shot to hold the House.’
Pence’s book, What Conservatives Believe: Rediscovering the Conservative Conscience, is set to be released on Tuesday.
