Former President Mike Pence refused to state whether former President Donald Trump incited the January 2021 Capitol riot, instead choosing to attribute it to “many causes.”
Appearing on Fox Business Network on Thursday, Pence was first asked by host Larry Kudlow about the “toughest statement” the former veep has made so far about the man under whom he served.
“You gave a very tough speech the other day criticizing President Trump,” Kudlow stated before quoting Pence’s remarks. Pence said in part, “History will hold Donald Trump accountable,” and, “His reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day.”
“This is the toughest statement you’ve made,” Kudlow said. “Any particular reason why you made it last Saturday? Any particular thing on your mind?”
Pence, who was joining from New Hampshire and is regarded as a potential presidential candidate, replied that the comments he made were what he wrote in his recent book. He reiterated that he did not have the authority to overturn the 2020 presidential election as Trump asked him to do as the presiding officer over the election’s certification.
Kudlow, who served as Trump’s director of the National Economic Council, followed up by asking Pence if he thinks Trump incited the Capitol riot.
“Do you think former President Trump incited violence or incited an insurrection?” the host asked.
Pence responded:
Well, look there was a riot at the Capitol that day and there were many causes. I do think that the president’s reckless words that day endangered all of us that were at the Capitol. When I say my family, you know, my wife and my daughter were with me all the way until four in the morning the following day.
But thanks to law enforcement, we quelled the riot. We were able to reconvene the Congress very same day and complete our work under the Constitution of the United States. But I’ll let history be the judge of those matters and the American people can each have their own opinions.
In the weeks after his 2020 election loss, Trump falsely claimed the election was rigged against him and said Pence had the ability and even a duty to reject the election results on Jan. 6, 2021. When Pence refused, an angry mob stormed the Capitol and some Trump supporters chanted, “Hang Mike Pence!”
While Pence isn’t sure whether Trump incited the riot, Trump himself has blamed Pence.
