Former Vice President Mike Pence’s Farewell Post Draws Surprise From Social Media

During his final hours as vice president, Mike Pence shared a farewell message to Americans that sparked plenty of chatter on social media due to a glaring omission. Tuesday night, with just hours left until Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were set to step into the White House in their new roles, Pence took to Twitter to share four photos from his time as vice president. Notably missing from all four pictures, however, was former President Donald Trump

Shared to the new archived account, Pence thanked Americans “for the privilege of serving as your Vice President these past four years.” He said doing so “has been the greatest honor of my life.” Accompanying the message were four pictures, one showing him with former second lady, Karen Pence, two of him and his family, and one of him standing in front of an American flag. Trump did not appear in any of the photos, nor did Pence make mention of him in his tweet.

According to numerous reports, Pence and Trump’s relationship seemed to fracture during their final days in office, with the divide deepening following the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot, which Trump has been impeached for inciting and during which the president’s supporters chanted, “Hang Mike Pence.” The two reportedly had limited communication in the days that followed, and in a notable divide, Pence opted to attend Biden and Harris’ wearing in ceremonies rather than the former president’s farewell celebration. Given this history, his omitting Trump from his farewell message sparked plenty of discussion online.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.”