On January 6, 2021, during the invasion of the Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump who reject the latter’s defeat in the presidential election, Mike Pence had to barricade himself in the Senate chamber. “Hang Mike Pence” is also one of the rioters’ slogans.
As the former vice president was evacuated, Donald Trump tweeted again: “Pence did not have the courage to do what he had to do to protect our country and our Constitution by giving States the opportunity to certify a corrected set of facts, not them.” fraudulent or inaccurate facts that they were previously asked to certify”.
“It takes courage to uphold the law”
In an interview with ABC News and published this Monday, the former vice president denounces Donald Trump’s “unconscious” statements that day.
“It pissed me off,” Mike Pence said. “The president’s words were reckless and his actions were reckless,” he added.
Upon discovering the tweet, “I turned to my daughter, who was standing nearby, and said: ‘It doesn’t take courage to break the law, it takes courage to enforce the law’ (…). It was clear that she had decided to be part of the problem, ”said the former vice president.
“The president’s words that day at the rally (before the invasion) put me, my family and everyone on Capitol Hill at risk.”
On the morning of January 6, Donald Trump delivered a speech in Washington, calling in particular on Mike Pence to cancel the election results, a power the latter does not have. The former White House occupant had also called on the crowd to “march on the Capitol.”
Trump-Pence duel during midterms
This is one of his strongest criticisms of Donald Trump for who, during his tenure, was fiercely loyal to his president. However, since the events on Capitol Hill and the allegations of stolen presidential elections, he has repeatedly criticized it. Last February, he remarkably publicly denounced Donald Trump’s electoral lies.
“President Trump is wrong,” he said, referring to the false claim that he had the power to unilaterally reject Electoral College votes.
During the campaign of partial examsDonald Trump and Mike Pence have found themselves in a power clash at times, endorsing opposing candidates in Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin.
The former president campaigned in particular for a number of candidates who were also denying the 2020 election result, while Mike Pence tried to divert the GOP’s attention away from this issue and towards more conservative and traditional policies.
Source: BFM TV
