Mike Pence announced that he will not endorse his former boss, Donald Trump, for president in the 2024 elections. This decision marks a significant break in the relationship between Pence and Trump, who once shared the White House.
In a recent interview with Fox News, Pence explained that his decision is based on his disagreement with the agenda that Trump is promoting. According to Pence, this agenda moves away from the conservative principles that both defended during their term. "Donald Trump is pursuing and articulating an agenda that is at odds with the conservative agenda that we governed on during our four years. That's why I cannot in good conscience endorse Donald Trump in this campaign," he commented.
The former vice president said his decision should not surprise anyone since he made it clear during his presidential campaign that he had "profound differences" with Trump on various issues.
"As I have watched his candidacy unfold, I've seen him walking away from our commitment to confronting the national debt. I've seen him starting to shy away from a commitment to the sanctity of human life. And this last week, his reversal on getting tough on China and supporting our administration's efforts to force a sale of ByteDance's TikTok," he said.
Pence refused to reveal how he will vote in November, although he did rule out his support for the current president, Joe Biden, as an option. "I'm gonna keep my vote to myself," he said. "I would never vote for Joe Biden," he added. His decision makes him the most prominent Republican to date to say he will not endorse Trump in the 2024 election.
Disagreements between Pence and Trump became evident following the former president's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. However, the situation escalated when Pence organized his own presidential campaign against Trump. Despite his efforts, the former vice president dropped out of the primaries after failing to gain significant support in the polls.
This rift between Pence and Trump could have a lasting impact on the political landscape and the dynamics of the Republican Party heading into the 2024 presidential election.
