(Washington) Donald Trump’s former vice-president, Mike Pence, announced Friday that he would not support the Republican billionaire in the November presidential election.
“This will not surprise you, I am not going to support Donald Trump this year,” against Joe Biden, he declared during an interview with Fox News.
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.
After years of unwavering loyalty, he changed his tone following the assault on the Capitol, which shook American democracy on January 6, 2021.
PHOTO JIM WATSON, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Mike Pence and Donald Trump in 2020
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.
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 hide in haste.
Since then, he has judged 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 ballots, for lack of support.