Former Vice President Mike Pence said he hopes the Department of Justice does not indict former President Donald Trump because it would be too divisive for the country.
“I think it would be terribly divisive to the country at a time when the American people are hurting. This kind of action by the DOJ would only fuel further division in the country and send a terrible message to the wider world,” Pence told CNN during a town hall in Iowa on Wednesday.
“I mean, we’re the emblem of democracy, we’re the symbol of justice in the world, and the serious matter, which has already happened once in New York, of indicting a former president of the United States sends a terrible message to the world,” he continued. “I hope the DOJ thinks better of it and resolves these issues without an indictment.”
Special counsel Jack Smith is leading the Justice Department investigation into former President Trump over his mishandling of classified documents after he left office and his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
The investigation into Trump’s mishandling of classified documents appears to be winding down. Federal prosecutors have notified Trump in a letter that he is the target of a criminal investigation, according to Politico.
Pence told CNN that “no one is above the law,” but argued that the “unique circumstances” of Trump’s case meant he hoped the Justice Department could resolve its investigation without resorting to an indictment.
