Former Vice President Mike Pence continues to seek relevance within the GOP by criticizing his former superior; however, this strategy appears unlikely to win him favor in the MAGA community.
During a CNN interview, anchor Kate Bolduan inquired about President Donald Trump’s recent actions concerning Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Pence expressed his support for Trump’s firmer stance against Putin, attributing this shift to the diminishing influence of the GOP’s “isolationists” following their criticism of Trump’s military actions against Iran’s nuclear sites.
Bolduan then transitioned to discuss recent CNN reports indicating that Pete Hegseth had independently suspended arms deliveries to Ukraine due to the intensifying Russian assaults. Recently, Trump faced inquiries regarding who obstructed the arms shipments, responding to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Tuesday, “I don’t know.”
Below is a transcript of the dialogue:
BOLDUAN: “I noticed you almost shook your head in disbelief at the reports, which state that today we learned U.S. weapons shipments are resuming to Ukraine.”
Pence: “Correct.”
BOLDUAN: “However, this follows reports that the Pentagon had paused shipments of certain weapons, a decision authorized by the Secretary of Defense, without the knowledge or notification of the President of the United States. Does it make sense to you that such a significant decision was made without the approval or even informing the President of the United States?”
Pence stated, “When you have served at the level I have, it is a significant government. Numerous individuals within your agencies and departments are consistently making decisions. However, that particular decision was concerning to me. I believe it is equally troubling for the president. I expect that he will investigate the matter thoroughly. He will determine who was responsible for that decision. The most crucial aspect is that he has reversed it. Furthermore, he clearly communicated in a phone call with President Zelenskyy last Friday that support will persist. I must respectfully mention to the president, if he is watching, that this issue extends beyond just defensive weapons.
BOLDUAN: “Right.”
Pence continued, “We must persist in supplying President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian military with offensive capabilities, in addition to the necessary support against aerial attacks. This will enable them to attain a genuine peace.”
In May, Pence criticized Trump for comments made during a speech in Saudi Arabia, labeling them a “disservice” to U.S. veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
During an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Pence addressed Trump’s remarks in Riyadh, where the president condemned prior U.S. interventions in the Middle East. Trump claimed that the emergence of modern cities such as Riyadh and Abu Dhabi was not due to Western “nation-builders,” but rather the accomplishments of local populations.
Trump remarked, “Ultimately, the so-called ‘nation-builders’ caused more destruction than they created. The interventionists were engaging in intricate societies that they did not fully comprehend themselves.”
“However, Kristen, I have never supported the notion of American presidents criticizing the United States while abroad,” he stated. “To have the president in Saudi Arabia questioning America’s global war on terror and labeling it as nation-building and interventionism struck me as a disservice to countless Americans who donned the uniform and engaged the enemy, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq. Moreover, delivering that speech in Saudi Arabia, where 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers originated, excluding Osama bin Laden, seemed regrettable to me.”
Pence expressed in February his desire to be a “constructive force for the conservative agenda” during Trump’s second term, as he is among the few Republicans prepared to formally contest the president.
