Former Vice President Mike Pence said the “time has come” for President Donald Trump and his administration to change course on abortion and “return” to a conservative policy of protecting the right-to-life as the party heads into the midterm elections.
In an interview with the Washington Examiner, Pence discussed his new book, What Conservatives Believe, and said he was “disappointed” that the Trump reelection campaign had “erased” anti-abortion language from the GOP platform and the administration continued to leave abortion access “unchecked.”
“I think the time has come for the administration to return to that consistent advocacy for life,” Pence said. “As we go into these midterms, I think it would send just the right message to our most ardent supporters around the country, who cherish the right to life, and my hope is that as we go into 2028, we will return our party, its platform, its policies, and ultimately our standard bearer to the cause of the sanctity of life.”
Pence said he didn’t expect to see Trump’s shift on abortion policy following the pair’s time in office. He referred to Trump as the “most pro-life president in history,” but realized trouble was afoot when Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who had taken an abortion-rights stance when running as an independent in the 2024 presidential election, was tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
RFK’s appointment, combined with the recent Supreme Court ruling that restored access to mail-order abortion pills nationwide, which the Food and Drug Administration delayed safety studies of, is “deeply troubling” and shows how the conservative movement has leaned into a more populist approach, Pence said.
“Republican-led states have moved pro-life legislation at a historic pace, but the availability unchecked by the Trump administration and their FDA of mail order abortion has literally resulted in abortion increasing in America since Roe v. Wade was overturned,” Pence said. “I think this is one more example of a populist Right that would make the case about what is popular.”
In the wide-ranging interview, Pence also discussed the possible outcomes of the deal signed by the United States and Iran to begin negotiations to end hostilities in the region and the Trump administration’s use of tariffs.
When asked if Iran is capable of being a constructive member of the Middle East, Pence put it simply: “I don’t trust the Iranians.”
While the text of Trump’s ceasefire deal with Iran was not available at the time of the interview, Pence said ensuring Iran forgoes its nuclear and ballistic missile program is paramount. He added that Iran would also need to agree to cut off support for terrorist proxies in the region and see the Strait of Hormuz reopened.
“I think at the end of the day, if the president and his team do not secure commitment … then I think we’d be better off allowing our armed forces and the armed forces of our ally Israel to finish the job on our terms,” he said.
MIKE PENCE IS DONE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT — BUT HE’S NOT DONE FIGHTING FOR THE SOUL OF THE GOP
As for tariffs, Pence noted that he and Trump used tariffs as a “threat” to “open trade” globally. But now, Pence said, Trump uses tariffs in a way that contradicts traditional conservative policy.
“They use tariffs with a lot of echo chamber from the populist right as long-term industrial policy,” Pence said. “The big government solution of having the federal government take a stake in American businesses, I understand where it comes from, but as I argue in my book … economic freedom is still the answer.”
