Although former President Donald Trump has not announced whether he’ll seek re-election in 2024, he’s already removed one name from the list of potential running mates if he does: Mike Pence.
The former President ruled out his former Vice President as a running mate if he pursues the Presidency for a third time, lamenting Pence’s refusal to bow to pressure and overturn the 2020 Presidential election results.
Trump’s comments were made to the authors of a new book: “The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021.”
According to The Guardian, Trump is quoted as telling the authors, “It would be totally inappropriate,” adding that Pence “committed political suicide” when he refused to overturn the election results on January 6, 2021.
On the day of the Capitol riot, Pence chose not to concede to pressure from Trump and his supporters, when he moved ahead with the certification of the 2020 Presidential election results.
At that time, Trump and his allies wanted Pence to stall the certification by returning electoral votes to several battleground states where GOP-led legislatures could attempt to overturn the results, citing their concerns about widespread voter fraud.
But Pence, after consulting confidants, refused to capitulate, a decision that would fracture his relationship with Trump and a large portion of the GOP’s voter base.
Since January 6, Trump has also lambasted Pence on several occasions for his lack of “courage” and loyalty.
On the day of the riot, many of Trump’s supporters chanted “hang Mike Pence,” a first glance at the animosity that would fester between the former Vice President and Trump supporters within the GOP.
