Title: Former President Donald Trump Takes Aim at Mike Pence, Calling Him “Delusional” and “Not a Very Good Person”
Subtitle: Trump’s sharp attack against his former vice president highlights growing tension within the GOP
By [Author Name]
[date]
Former President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on his former vice president and GOP presidential primary opponent, Mike Pence, on Saturday. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump referred to Pence as “delusional” and “not a very good person.” This marks Trump’s strongest criticism yet against Pence, who has been increasingly vocal about his disagreement with Trump’s actions leading up to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
Trump’s post on Truth Social read, “WOW, it’s finally happened! Liddle’ Mike Pence, a man who was about to be ousted as Governor of Indiana until I came along and made him V.P., has gone to the Dark Side.” Trump further stated, “I never told a newly emboldened (not based on his 2% poll numbers!) Pence to put me above the Constitution, or that Mike was ‘too honest.’ He’s delusional, and now he wants to show he’s a tough guy.”
The disagreement between Trump and Pence stems from the events leading up to the US Capitol riot. According to Trump’s third indictment filed earlier this week, he had told Pence on January 1, 2021, that he was “too honest” when the vice president insisted he lacked the authority to alter the results of the 2020 election. Pence ultimately certified the results on the day of the attack, breaking with Trump, who has faced accusations of inciting the violence.
Pence has repeatedly claimed that Trump “demanded” he choose between loyalty to him and the Constitution. Since Trump’s indictments, he has maintained that the former president is not above the law. However, Pence has not ruled out the possibility of pardoning Trump, expressing that while his actions on January 6 were reckless, he has not yet determined if they were criminal.
The tension between Trump and Pence has intensified as Trump becomes the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination. Pence testified before a federal grand jury in April as part of the ongoing investigation into the 2020 election. Trump has made false claims, such as asserting that “The V.P. had power that Mike didn’t understand,” a narrative that the indictment portrays as central to his alleged attempt to obstruct the certification of the election results.
The growing discord between Trump and Pence underscores the deep divide within the Republican Party. As the 2024 presidential race looms, these conflicting viewpoints may shape the future of the GOP and its approach to key issues. Only time will tell how this contentious relationship will impact the party’s trajectory moving forward.