Pence Says He Doesn’t ‘See Eye To Eye’ With Trump On Jan. 6 Insurrection

Former Vice President Mike Pence said he and former President Donald Trump may never “see eye to eye” on the Jan. 6 insurrection.

During his second public address since leaving office, Pence called the Capitol riot a “dark day in the history of the United States.” He also thanked the U.S. Capitol Police and other law enforcement for controlling the violence.

This speech was quite different from Pence’s first post-vice-presidency speech, which he delivered in South Carolina in April. In that speech, he didn’t mention the insurrection at all.

Pence spoke on Thursday at the Hillsborough County Republican Committee’s annual Lincoln-Reagan Awards Dinner in Manchester, N.H.

“And that same day, we reconvened the Congress and did our duty under the Constitution and the laws of the United States,” Pence said. “You know, President Trump and I have spoken many times since we left office. And I don’t know if we’ll ever see eye to eye on that day, but I will always be proud of what we accomplished for the American people over the last four years.”

Pence and Trump’s relationship has been on the rocks since the Capitol riots. Pence denied Trump’s public demands for him to help overturn the 2020 election results.

Pence hinted that his differences with Trump run deeper than a disagreement over the insurrection. “Some people think we’re a little different,” he said. “But I think what President Trump showed us was what Republicans can accomplish when our leaders stand firm on conservative principles and don’t back down.”

Pence went on to blame Democrats for using the Capitol riot to divide the country. He also went after President Joe Biden for “campaigning as a moderate” and then becoming the “most liberal president since FDR.”

Article by Elizabeth Letsou