Mike Pence will not support Trump for president

Photo: Susan Walsh Associated Press Donald Trump and his vice president, Mike Pence, on November 24, 2020.

Camille Camdessus – Agence France-Presse in Washington

March 15, 2024

• United States

Former US Vice President Mike Pence threw a wrench into the water on Friday by announcing that he would not support Donald Trump in the November presidential election, sparking new questions about the Republican billionaire's ability to rally his political family.

“It's not going to surprise you, I'm not going to support Donald Trump this year,” Mike Pence, 64, said in an interview with Fox News.

With his announcement, the Republican has nevertheless created a surprise and broken with a historical tradition.

“I cannot, in good conscience, support Donald Trump in this campaign,” said Mike Pence.

The Republican accused his former boss of proposing “a program that is in contradiction with the conservative project that we put in place for four years”.

Evangelical Christian, fierce opponent of abortion, Mike Pence helped Donald Trump conquer the religious right by being his running mate during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The “danger” of the assault on the Capitol

But after years of unwavering loyalty, he changed his tune following the assault on the Capitol, which shook American democracy on January 6, 2021.

That day, Mike Pence led, as vice-president, the session in Congress, during which elected officials had to certify Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election.

Although he only has a ceremonial role, Donald Trump insisted that he refuse to validate the election of the Democrat.

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The former governor of Indiana did not comply, which earned him strong enmity among the billionaire's supporters. Entering the Capitol by force, some called to “hang” Mike Pence, who had to hastily hide.

He has since ruled that the president's words had been “irresponsible” and had “put him in danger.” In June 2023, Mike Pence ran against him in the Republican primaries. But he had to throw in the towel, even before the first elections, for lack of support.

Haley's refusal

Donald Trump, who never misses the slightest opportunity to criticize his former vice-president, did not react immediately.

But Mike Pence's announcement did cause a shock wave within the party, fueling speculation about the former businessman's ability to seduce Republicans beyond his base of very loyal supporters.

A few days before Mike Pence's announcement, Nikki Haley, who was Donald Trump's last rival in the primaries, had already refused to support the Republican's candidacy against Joe Biden.

By throwing in the towel on March 6, the former American ambassador to the UN under Trump estimated that the tempestuous septuagenarian should “deserve the votes” she obtained during the primary, that of a more moderate electorate .

Donald Trump has certainly had a string of victories in the race for the Republican nomination, but his success at the polls has also revealed vulnerabilities in the former president which could complicate his reconquest of the White House.

Surrounded by the surveys, Donald Trump could notably see his support erode among moderate Republicans and independents — essential votes if he wants to win against Democratic President Joe Biden in November.