Former Vice President Mike Pence, a candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that former President Donald Trump is “walking away from America’s leadership in the world, our role as the arsenal of democracy.”
Pence said, “I’m actually still hoping he shows up, Jon, to get on that plane, Trump Force One and head up and head out on that stage. I think every one of us would’ve qualified for that debate stage ought to be on the stage, be willing to square off, answer the tough questions, and also draw a bright line contrast.”
He continued, “My differences with the former president go far beyond that tragic day in January two and a half years ago. As I’ve said many times, I see the president and others on the stage walking away from America’s leadership in the world, our role as the arsenal of democracy. I see the president literally walking away from a commitment of fiscal responsibility and reform.”
Host Jon Karl asked, “Do you mean Donald Trump?”
Pence said, “President Trump’s position on entitlement, yeah. Look, President Biden’s policy on reforming entitlements in this country is insolvency, and the former president’s position is identical to Joe Biden’s position. They won’t even talk about common sense reforms of Social Security and Medicare for younger Americans. And, as you know, I’m pro-life. I don’t apologize for it. I see not only the former president but others on the stage trying to relegate the question of abortion to a states’ only issue being a long champion for the right to life and in the Oval Office if I’m president of the United States.”
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