In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump stated, “My Administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights.” Pence responded sharply, criticizing the former president for using what he described as the “language of the Left.”
Pence told the National Review, “The Trump-Pence administration stood for life without apology for four years. The former President’s use of the language of the Left, pledging that his administration would be ‘great for women and their reproductive rights,’ should be concerning for millions of pro-life Americans.”
He continued, “Republicans should embrace the language of life, not the language of those who support abortion on demand. The pro-life movement must stand with the vulnerable—the mothers and the babies. We must never accept retreat on the fight for life.”
Pence also expressed disappointment in July when the Republican Party softened its stance on abortion. “Unfortunately, this platform is part of a broader retreat in our party, trying to remain vague for political expedience,” he said. “But history shows that those who stand without apology for life and make their case to the American people are rewarded at the ballot box. Beyond the politics of the issue is the immorality of ending an unborn human life. We must never lose the moral clarity to say that abortion is wrong. The GOP platform may be retreating, but we in the pro-life movement never will.”
Pence has been critical of Trump ever since the January 6th Capitol riot, during which rioters targeted him while electoral votes were being certified. He ran against Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination but dropped out before the primaries.
Trump originally chose Pence as his running mate in 2016 to appeal to the evangelical wing of the GOP. However, their relationship deteriorated over time, and for the 2024 election, Trump selected Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) as his running mate.
