Former U.S. Vice President during the Trump Administration Mike Pence has claimed that the 2021 assault on Capitol Hill was «the most difficult day» of his public life, although he has declined the possibility of testifying at the U.S. House committee investigating the incident.
«I thought it was important, as vice president, that I offered my advice to the president in confidence. And I did,» Pence said in an interview with CNN in which he detailed his role that day.
However, he has closed any speculation about whether he will testify in the House committee investigating the assault, ensuring that «Congress has no right» to his testimony.
He has further asserted that his appearance would set a «terrible precedent» because it would involve a congressional committee summoning a vice president to discuss deliberations conducted at the White House, arguing that it would violate the separation of powers and «erode the dynamic» between a president and vice president.
On the day of the Capitol storming, former U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as other members of the Republican Party, pressured the then-vice president not to certify the 2020 presidential election results that gave victory to Joe Biden.
However, Pence decided to ignore Trump’s pleas, which, according to the vice president, were «based on something deeper» than their relationship.
«He had a higher loyalty, and that was to God and the Constitution. And that’s what set in motion the confrontation that would happen on January 6 because I had sworn an oath to the Constitution of the United States,» Pence has maintained to the aforementioned network.
Although for the former vice president «it was difficult» to break with the person who chose him as ‘number two’ for his administration, Pence has reiterated his belief that his duty was to «defend the Constitution and the peaceful transfer of power».
In this regard, the former US vice president has confessed that in the days after the assault on the Capitol he was upset with Trump for his role in the events, referring to a speech in Washington and several tweets from the former president in which he made an indirect call to go to the Capitol that day.
«The president’s words and tweet that day were reckless (…). They endangered my family and all the people on Capitol Hill,» he said.
In another interview with ABC, the former US vice president assured that the Republicans have «better options» than Donald Trump for 2024, after it was confirmed this week that the tycoon will try to return to the White House.
«I think we will have better options in the future. The people of this country actually get along pretty well once you get out of politics, and I think they want to see their national leaders begin to reflect that same compassion and generosity of spirit,» Pence has said.
One of those «better options» could be himself, as he has slipped in this same interview on the occasion of the promotion of his book ‘So help me God’ (‘Help me, God’). He said that both he and his family are «prayerfully considering» whether or not to run.
Throughout this week Pence has been offering similar statements in other media, all of them agreeing that the current situation is different than in 2016 so «different leadership» is needed.
Another of those who sound for the Republican primaries is the former Secretary of State under the Trump Administration, Mike Pompeo, who on Wednesday on Twitter wrote that what the United States needs is «more seriousness, less noise and leaders who look forward» and «who do not look in the rearview mirror claiming victimhood.»
