Pence Won’t Challenge Court Order Requiring Him to Testify in Trump 2020 Election Case

Former Vice President Mike Pence plans on complying with a federal court ruling requiring him to testify in a grand jury investigation into former President Donald Trump‘s conduct surrounding the 2020 election, according to a spokesperson.

Trump unsuccessfully pressured Pence to assist in efforts to halt congressional certification of the 2020 election, in which he was defeated by Democratic challenger Joe Biden. Special Counsel Jack Smith has been investigating the former president for his conduct since November.

Trump has dismissed Smith’s inquiry, requested by Attorney General Merrick Garland, as “unfair and political.”

Pence is expected to provide the special counsel information, under oath, about conversations between him and then-president Trump leading up to January 6. A date for Pence’s testimony has yet to be determined.

Trump believed that since vice presidents traditionally certify election results after Congress officially counts the electoral votes, Pence’s refusal to do so would either keep Trump in power outright or at least provide his team time to plot a different method to challenge the election.

Pence did not follow through with Trump’s plan, arguing that his role in the matter was only ceremonial and that he did not have the power to single-handedly prevent Biden from becoming president.

Trump’s relationship with Pence has since soured, despite the vice president being one of Trump’s most loyal political allies. Many political analysts argue that Pence’s addition to the presidential ticket was vital to Trump’s 2016 victory, as his far-right Christian credentials likely helped Trump garner the evangelical support needed by any Republican candidate to win.

Trump has officially announced his candidacy for president in 2024, and Pence has strongly signaled an intention in doing so as well. Whether he can mount a serious challenge to Trump’s hold on the Republican party, along with other likely candidates such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, is yet to be seen.