Donald Trump says his former Vice President Mike Pence should endorse him after Pence announced he was dropping out of the 2024 Republican presidential primary race on Saturday.
Pence was among the packed crowd of candidates seeking the 2024 Republican nomination for president, all of whom have struggled against the overwhelming polling strength of former president Trump and his re-election bid. Pence, in particular, struggled greatly and garnered only single-digit support from likely Republican voters. His troubles were attributed by some to his unpopularity with independents and moderate Republicans for his association with the Trump administration, and among MAGA Republicans over his refusal to go along with Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
“It’s become clear to me it’s not my time,” Pence said during his speech at the Republican Jewish Coalition Conference. “I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.”
“We always knew this would be an uphill battle, but I have no regrets,” the former vice president added.
Pence’s withdrawal from the 2024 race on Saturday prompted cheers on social media from supporters of Trump.
While speaking in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night, Trump also reacted to Pence’s decision to drop out of the race saying, “Everybody that leaves seems to be endorsing me. You know people are leaving now, and they’re all endorsing me. I don’t know about Mike Pence; he should endorse me. He should endorse me, you know why? Because I had a great successful presidency, and he was the vice president. He should endorse me.”
Continuing, Trump added, “I chose him, made him vice president, but people, people in politics can be very disloyal.”
Taking to X, formally Twitter on Saturday, after his announcement Pence said in part, “After traveling the country the past six months, it has become clear…this is not my time. As we leave this campaign, we do so with grateful hearts. I will always be grateful for the opportunities my family and I have been given to serve this country.”
Newsweek has reached out to Pence’s press team via email for additional comment.
Meanwhile, Trump has been a repeated critic of Pence, previously saying that the former vice president has gone to the “Dark Side” for his comments related to the 2020 election.
Pence also previously posted to X, formally Twitter, that Trump “demanded” that he choose between him and the constitution. Pence concluded that he will always put the constitution over the former president.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
