What Is Mike Pence's Relationship Like With Donald Trump Today?
With the January 6 insurrection investigation heating up, some are curious about Mike Pence's relationship with Donald Trump. On the day of the insurrection, then-Vice President Mike Pence was overseeing the certification of the 2020 election results — which Trump hotly contested — when pro-Trump rioters attacked the U.S. Capitol. CNN reported that Pence and lawmakers had to be evacuated for safety while some insurrectionists shouted, "Hang Mike Pence!"
The Washington Post reported that Trump never called Pence on January 6 to see if he was safe or talk about responding to the insurrection at the Capitol. The outlet revealed that as Pence hid from the violent mob, Trump attacked his vice president on Twitter. Per the outlet, Trump tweeted, "Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!"
In Bob Woodward and Robert Costa's book "Peril," the authors claimed that Trump called Pence a "wimp" for not agreeing to overturn the U.S. presidential election. Trump allegedly told Pence (via Vanity Fair), "You can do this. I don't want to be your friend anymore if you don't do this." Based on the reports from January 6, it's a safe bet Pence and Trump are no longer close. However, their relationship seems to be rather complicated.
Mike Pence says he has a 'strong relationship' with Donald Trump
In an October 4 interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Mike Pence stated that he and Donald Trump have a solid partnership, explaining that they have since "talked through" their differences about January 6. "Look, you can't spend almost five years in a political foxhole with somebody without developing a strong relationship," Pence told Hannity. The former VP also claimed that the media coverage of the insurrection was a distraction to "demean Trump supporters." Based on the politician's remarks, it certainly seems like Pence and Trump have patched things up.
Still, Pence's interview with Hannity contrast with Pence's earlier statements about Trump and the riots at the U.S. Capitol. In June, the Associated Press reported that Pence noted that he and Trump would never see 'eye to eye'" about January 6. Pence also remarked that "those in our party" who believe that "any one person" could select the president were wrong, as he stated in a June speech at Ronald Reagan Presidential Library (per CNN).
In response to Pence's most recent remarks to Hannity, media personalities spoke out — and did not hold back. Daily Beast editor-at-large Molly Jong-Fast responded, "Don't be mean to the insurrectionists, they're very sensitive. Also they did chant about hanging him but he seems to have forgotten." Former Republican congressman-turned-radio host Joe Walsh tweeted, "No, Mike Pence. We don't focus on January 6 to 'demean' Trump supporters. ... It was a violent attempt to overthrow an election. Mike Pence, your life was in danger. We focus on January 6 to make sure it never ever happens again."