DENVER — Former Vice President Mike Pence sat for an exclusive interview with ABC World News Tonight anchor David Muir this week to discuss his conversations with former President Donald Trump surrounding the Jan. 6 riot last year.
Pence, who is toying with the idea for running for president in 2024, spoke with Denver7’s Jason Gruenauer Tuesday as Trump readies to potentially declare his candidacy in the race as well.
Pence is promoting his new book, “So Help Me God,” this week. Denver7 asked him about his thoughts on Trump running for president again, their relationship after Trump all but abandoned Pence during the Jan. 6 riot and whether or not he plans to run for president.
Watch the full interview in the player, or read the full interview transcribed below.
Jason Gruenauer
Mr. Vice President, thanks so much for your time. Former President Trump is expected to announce later today he’s running in 2024. Simply, do you think Donald Trump is fit to run for president?
Former VP Mike Pence
It’s a free country Jason, and the president can make whatever announcement he wants to make. But as I’ve traveled across the country, I think the American people long for leadership that does bring us back to the policies of the Trump-Pence administration — policies that made our country more prosperous than any time in my lifetime, strengthened our military, secured our borders, saw conservatives appointed to our courts, and stood tall in the world, making history in the Middle East and standing up to the enemies of freedom.
But I must tell you that I’ve also heard, over the last nearly two years, so many Americans come up, express their appreciation for our leadership, our record, but also their desire to see us produce leadership in our party that will unite our country around our highest ideals, and reflect the kind of civility and decency that the American people treat each other with every day.
Jason Gruenauer
Now you said in your interview with David Muir that you believe the American people will have “better options” in 2024. Are you running in 2024?
Former VP Mike Pence
Well, Jason, I promise to keep you posted. You know, my — we’ve got two of our immediate family that are in the U.S. military and in between deployments, we haven’t been all together as a family for three years. So Karen and I are making plans to have all the kids and our granddaughter back in Indiana over the holidays. We’ll spend time – as you read in “So Help Me God,” literally every step of the way of our career, our children have been intimately involved in everything that we’ve done. We’ll spend time to give prayerful consideration to that. And Karen and I will make a decision sometime after the first of the year. But we’ve made it clear we won’t let anybody else make that decision for us. If we feel called to step back into the political debate, we’ll do it without hesitation because we love this country. And I believe the best days of America lie ahead.
Jason Gruenauer
Now your book is out today. It can’t be lost on you the timing of this Mar-a-Lago Trump announcement on the exact same day.
Former VP Mike Pence
Well I’ve been working on this book for two years and I couldn’t be more grateful to have the opportunity to bring it to the American people. “So Help Me God” is really as much about my family, as much about my upbringing in Indiana, my service in Congress and my service as governor, as it is about the Trump-Pence years, including the challenging days at the end.
I hope people will have a better sense of who we are, how I came to my faith in Christ, how I came to the conservative movement after starting in politics as a young Democrat in my hometown. How I met the girl of my dreams and how we were able to serve this country in so many different capacities. It’s not so much a unique story, but it’s uniquely American. You know, as the grandson of an Irish immigrant, to have been able to stand on the platform in January 2017, raised my right hand to become the 45th vice president of the United States, should tell you everything you need to know about America. And so help me God, I really try to capture the wonder of that journey. Even through the challenging days, I’m inspired to be an American, Jason.
Jason Gruenauer
And one of those most challenging days you write about in that book is Jan. 6. You’ve come out since and said the president’s tweeting that day was reckless, it put you and your family in danger. Whether it’s in this interview or the others, why have you not come out in stronger terms against the person who did that to you and your family?
Former VP Mike Pence
I think I was quite clear, Jason. When the tweet came across saying that I lacked courage while rioters were ransacking the Capitol was reckless. It endangered my family and the people that were at the Capitol at the time. But to be honest with you, in that moment Jason, I really didn’t have any time for it. The president had decided to be part of the problem. I was determined to be part of the solution. Working with Democrats and Republicans in leadership in Congress, working with law enforcement on the ground, we went to work. And it’s remarkable to me that in a matter of a few short hours, law enforcement, Capitol and federal law enforcement, quelled the violence. We were able to reconvene the Congress the very same day. And what began as a day of tragedy ended as a triumph of freedom as we sought the peaceful transfer of power.
Jason Gruenauer
Do you believe the person behind those tweets, the person that in your own words “became part of the problem,” is he, on this day that he’s expected to make this announcement, is he really in the best interests of the Republican party or the American people?
Former VP Mike Pence
Well, Jason, I think that will be up to the American people. And particularly, to Republican primary voters, to determine what role, if any, the president has in the future of our party and our nation. And I trust Republican primary voters. As I said, I don’t think anybody other than Donald Trump could have defeated Hilary Clinton in 2016. But I do believe we’ll have better choices in the days ahead, people that are better fitted to the times, able to advance the policies that we proved to make America stronger and more prosperous, but to do it in a way that reflects the goodness, and civility, and neighborliness that Americans show to one another every day.
Jason Gruenauer
The midterm elections did not see the red wave that was predicted. A majority of the Trump-endorsed candidates lost. A Republican, Lauren Boebert, here in Colorado holding just a razor-thin margin in a district that is largely conservative. Do you think it’s time for the Republican party to move on from the policies and the rhetoric of Donald J. Trump?
Former VP Mike Pence
You know, elections are always about the future. I believe as disappointing as some of these elections were in many places, that our candidates focused on the future did quite well. That’s why we won a Republican majority in the House of Representatives, and there will be a new Republican Speaker of the House come January. And I think as we go forward, it’ll be important that we get behind candidates that re not interested in relitigating the past, but are focused on the challenges that are facing people in Colorado and Indiana today, and are really focused on a future built on freedom. And I look forward to being part of that debate in some way, shape or form. And I promise to keep you posted on our plans.
