Former Vice President Mike Pence's Farewell Post Draws Surprise From Social Media
01/21/2021 12:39 pm EST
Although Trump and Pence seemed a strong team when they first stepped into the White House in 2016, their relationship has since frayed. Following the November election, Trump pressured Pence to overturn the results, taunting Pence when stating, "You can either go down in history as a patriot or you can go down in history as a p–," according to The New York Times.
Before Congress convened for a special joint session on Jan. 6 to certify the Electoral College votes, and likewise Biden's win, Pence confirmed that he would not bow to Trump's pressure. In a letter, he explained his "oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not."
Just hours later, the certification process was paused after pro-Trump supporters, having just attended a rally in which Trump told them to march to the Capitol, breeched barricades and stormed the Capitol building. With gallows being erected on the Capitol lawn, the mob could be heard chanting "Hang Mike Pence," angered by his refusal to overturn the election results.
During the attack, which left five people dead, Trump did not contact the then vice president. He waited hours longer to release a statement urging the mob to go home. The two did not speak for several days after the violent attack.
Further showcasing their divide, Pence did not attend the former president's farewell ceremony. Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump departed the White House early Wednesday morning, making a brief stop at a nearby airfield where Trump touted his administration's successes. They then left for Florida. Pence, meanwhile, attended the inauguration ceremony.
Thursday morning, Pence delivered a farewell speech of his own, speaking in front of at least 60 people at the airport in Columbus. According to the Independent, Pence confirmed that he and his wife will be moving back to Indiana this summer, stating, "there's no place like home."
Offering his congratulations to the new administration, Pence also thanked former President Trump and Melania "for all they've done to make America great." He said he will "always be grateful for the opportunity that they gave us to serve and the way they allowed us to make a difference in the life of this nation."
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