Mike Pence Gears Up To Be ‘Constructive Force’ Against Trump’s Presidency

Former Vice President Mike Pence has expressed his intent to be a "constructive force for the conservative agenda" during President Trump’s second term, positioning himself as one of the few Republicans willing to openly challenge Trump.

Despite a highly publicized fallout with Trump following the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, Pence has stated that he will support the new administration on issues where they align while maintaining his stance on matters of disagreement.

"Well, for me, it’s always principles first. It’s not personal," Pence remarked in a recent interview.

Pence’s political action committee, Advancing American Freedom, recently invested nearly $1 million in advertisements opposing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom Trump appointed as the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

According to Pence, both he and his team received "a lot of quiet encouragement" to challenge Kennedy’s appointment. He emphasized that the "nomination of an abortion rights supporter to be secretary of HHS is a dramatic departure from 50 years of strong pro-life leadership at HHS under Republican administrations." He felt it was necessary to speak out against the decision.

When asked why many Republicans seem hesitant to publicly oppose Trump, Pence stated, "I never speculate on motives. You know, I’m not new to town. I’ve waged lonely battles before."

"But you know, you have to be willing to step out and lead," Pence continued. "My hope is that when the next issue of life comes up, that people will have been encouraged, emboldened to know that they’re not alone."

Pence has been actively engaging with members of Congress and delivering speeches, urging Trump to maintain strong alliances. Simultaneously, his team has been publishing letters and opinion pieces to reinforce their stance.

Advancing American Freedom aims to both support the administration when their policies align and voice concerns when they do not, focusing on the traditional conservative values they believe have been overshadowed by Trump’s "Make America Great Again" populism.

"We’re calling balls and strikes here," Pence told the Associated Press. "I think that the way we want to approach this is with integrity to principle. And I’m very encouraged. I think the Trump administration is off to a great start… I’m very pleased about the president undoing Biden’s border policies and putting back into place the policies that we had negotiated and established that secured the border."

During a conversation in Iowa, Pence recalled a man encouraging him to run for president in 2028.

"And he goes, ‘But I’ll see you in four years. You’re going to be a great president someday,'" Pence recounted.

"I said, ‘Would you mind telling me, you know, why?’ And he said words I never forgot, which was in effect: He lamented Biden’s failed record. And I saw that he was drawn to the need for a rematch. And then he said, ‘Plus, if they can do that to a former president, they can do that to me.’ And the ‘lawfare’ stuff went into higher relief," Pence added.

Reflecting on the last election, Pence said, "So I didn’t see in this last election a Republican Party that was embracing big government or a vision to pull back from America’s commitments on the world stage or marginalizing the right to life. I didn’t see that traveling all over the country and I still don’t see it. I think there were other factors that gave the former president a decided advantage in the election. He’d earned it. He’d won it. And then he won it in the fall. But I don’t think the party’s changed."

Pence also shared that he attended Trump’s recent inauguration and was "very moved in the outpouring of kind words and expressions of appreciation from former colleagues, including many members of the new administration who I encountered in hallways."

When he met Trump’s new Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, Pence said he embraced him and "told him how proud I was of him."

"We had praised him from here when he was selected," Pence told the AP. "I must have seen or interacted with about half the incoming Cabinet."

At the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, Pence recalled a "very cordial exchange" with Trump. As Trump walked past the front row at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., Pence remembered him saying, "Hi, Mike."

Pence extended his hand and said, "Congratulations, Mr. President," noting that "I could see his countenance softened. And he said, ‘Thanks.’" He also congratulated First Lady Melania Trump.

"You know, the people that know me know it’s not personal," Pence told the AP. "I’ve long since forgiven the president for any differences that we had at the end of our administration. We still have those differences as the president still holds the view that, to my knowledge, that I had some authority that I did not have under the Constitution or laws of the country. But from my heart, I’ve prayed often for the president."