Former Trump ally runs for Congress as a Democrat
Olivia Troy, a former aide to Vice President Mike Pence, has announced her candidacy for Congress. Find out what other political leaders are running as anti-Trump Democrats.
Former Vice President Mike Pence accused the Trump administration of further departing from traditional conservative principles and embracing a populist right-wing movement that believes in big government, protectionism and isolationism on the world stage.
In a May 31 interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Pence argued that the second Trump administration is increasingly losing its way and risks “moving in a progressive direction” if it continues to adopt populist policies.
“In many ways, I think that’s what[Trump]is. He represents, in some ways, the essence of the populist right,” Pence told host Kristen Welker. “But the populist right is taking the president’s departure from the conservative agenda, whether it’s tariffs, Ukraine or Eastern Europe, or lives, and trying to make it the new fundamental tenet of the Republican Party.”
Pence, who served as vice president during the first Trump administration from 2017 to 2021, appeared on the show to promote his new book, “Conservative Beliefs.”
MAGA voters and the populist right
The former vice president credited Trump with energizing the Republican base and maintaining broad loyalty within the party. But he argued that some of the administration’s policies do not reflect the president’s “Make America Great Again” brand.
“The overwhelming majority of people in the MAGA movement believe that America is the leader of the free world, believes in limited government, lower taxes, lower regulations, and rejects ideas such as corporate nationalization, price controls, and widespread tariffs,” Pence said.
He also credited President Trump with drawing the line on several important issues, including securing the border, extending taxes imposed during his first administration, and continuing support for Israel.
But he argued that it is “less well known” that the party is moving away from the policies that have defined the Republican Party since the Ronald Reagan era: American leadership, limited government, free market economics and the right to life.
“As we see this administration imposing sweeping tariffs, nationalizing American businesses, and questioning and retreating from our allies who have endured brutal attacks by Russia in Eastern Europe, I think Republicans should take the time to reflect again on what we believe and get that message across to the American people,” Pence said.
He also criticized Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., describing him as “pro-abortion.” Along with Trump, Pence oversaw the appointment of Supreme Court justices who effectively overturned Roe v. Wade and ended federal protections for abortion rights.
Kennedy and Pence said they were “doing nothing to limit the access to mail-order abortion pills that Joe Biden has made available across the country.”
Republicans won in November
Asked whether Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who recently ousted Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas Senate primary, has what it takes to represent Republican values despite years of controversy, Mr. Pence instead turned to criticism of the left.
He predicted that a big Republican victory in November would not be based on the strength of the candidates, but rather on a rejection of the Democratic platform.
“Look, I think the Republicans have lost their way in many ways, but the Democrats have lost their minds,” Pence said. “And I think the reason we’re holding the Senate and potentially holding the House is because of extremism on the Democratic side.”
However, Pence argued that if Republican candidates run on the basis of “freedom,” “limited government” and “traditional values,” the “faults” that are forming within the party could be repaired.
“If the Republican Party holds true to its time-honored conservative principles this fall and in 2028, voters will rally to our cause,” Pence said.
Pence says compensation for January 6 rioters is ‘very aggressive’
Welker also asked Pence what he thought about the Trump administration’s recently announced $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. The funds would ostensibly be used to compensate people who believe they have been wronged by the federal government.
Most notably, these people may include those who faced legal trouble for participating in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, when a large crowd infamously called for Mr. Pence to be hanged.
“I think the weaponization fund was a bad idea from the beginning, and I would encourage the administration to eliminate it,” Pence said. “So the idea that we have a fund that could compensate the people who attacked police officers and destroyed the Capitol on January 6th is very upsetting to me. And I think that’s widely held by most Republicans and most Americans.”
The fund is part of a settlement the Trump family reached with the IRS regarding the release of the president’s tax returns, which is currently pending in court.
Drew Pittock covers trending news from around the country for USA TODAY. He can be reached at DPittock@usatodayco.com.
