Former Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday whacked his former boss for what he described as “walking away” from conservative principles.
Mr. Pence said he’s “forgiven” Donald Trump, the 2024 presumptive GOP nominee, for the 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. But he cited Mr. Trump’s recent reversal on his prior attempt to ban TikTok as one of the several reasons he “cannot in good conscience” endorse the former president.
“The president’s reversal just in the last week on TikTok, following an administration where we literally changed the national consensus on China, is the reason why I, after a lot of reflection, concluded I cannot endorse the agenda that Donald Trump is carrying into this national debate,” Mr. Pence said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
The widely popular app is facing a potential ban by Congress if it doesn’t divest from its Chinese ownership over privacy and national security concerns from U.S. lawmakers and officials.
Mr. Pence also panned Mr. Trump for referring to Jan. 6 defendants as “hostages” during a campaign rally over the weekend.
“I think it’s unfortunate at a time that are American hostages being held in Gaza, that the president or any other leaders would refer to people that are moving through our justice system as hostages,” the former vice president said.
“It’s just unacceptable,” he concluded.
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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