Former Vice President Mike Pence, a 2024 GOP presidential candidate, said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that his rivals for the nomination, former President Donald Trump, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), are signaling a retreat from America’s role as leader of the free world.
Anchor Dana Bash said, “I want to focus sort on what you had to say about some of your fellow Republicans. You said that this is what happens when leaders in the Republican Party signal American retreat as leaders of the free world. Weakness aroused evil. Are you talking about your former running mate?”
Pence said, “Well, I am, but let me begin where we ought to start. That disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan has emboldened the enemies of freedom around the world, and now war is raging in Eastern Europe. And President Joe Biden’s kowtowing to Iran, lifting sanctions, begging them to get back into the Iran nuclear deal. Paying $6 billion in ransom for hostages, I think, set the conditions for this unprecedented terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel.”
He added, “But I also believe this is what happens when we have leading voices like Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis signaling retreat from America’s role as leader of the free world. What happened in Ukraine was an unprovoked invasion by Russia. What happened this weekend was an unprovoked invasion by Hamas into Israel. I really believe now more than ever both the debate within the Republican Party and the debate within America is whether or not we are going to stand once again without apology as the leader of the free world.”
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