Former Vice-President Mike Pence was rushed to a secure location on Jan. 6 as the Capitol riot escalated, but over at the White House, Donald Trump couldn’t care less, according to an ABC News report.
During the riot, supporters of the former president chanted “hang Mike Pence,” because he was not willing to go along with Trump’s scheme to not certify the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Former Trump aide Nick Luna told special counsel Jack Smith’s team that when the former president was informed that Pence had to be moved to a secure location he responded: “So what?”
Luna was apparently shocked by Trump’s response, given that Pence was a longtime loyalist.
Deputy chief of staff, Dan Scavino, also told Smith’s team that Trump “was just not interested” in trying to stop the violence on Jan. 6.
Scavino said they tried unsuccessfully for 20 minutes to get the former president to calm his supporters storming the Capitol.
When they left him alone, Trump posted a tweet saying Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done” instead.
Scavino was blindsided by the post and tried to explain to Trump that a public attack on Pence was “not what we need,” to which Trump responded, “But it’s true.”
Pence and Trump’s relationship deteriorated after the Capitol riot and the MAGA base turned on him for certifying the election.
Pence tried to make a comeback in the 2024 GOP primary but was unable to gain any traction in the field. He dropped out of the race months before the Iowa caucuses.
