Mike Pence is no longer quietly distancing himself from Donald Trump. The former vice president is now openly warning Republicans that the party needs some serious “soul-searching” before the 2028 election rolls around.
Pence made the comments during an appearance on “Going Big! With Kevin Gentry,” where he took several pointed swings at the direction Trump has pushed the Republican Party over the last few years.
Mike Pence advises “soul-searching” for Republican peers under Donald Trump leadership ahead of 2028 election
“I think Republicans ought to do a lot of soul-searching,” Pence said during the interview. “I think Republicans face a new time of choosing.”
Furthermore, Pence argued the GOP now faces a choice between sticking with what he described as “traditional conservative principles” or continuing down what he called the “siren song of populism.” While he never fully turned the interview into an anti-Trump rant, the message behind it wasn’t exactly subtle either.
At one point, Pence directly criticized Trump’s tariff policies and growing support for government intervention in certain industries. “We’ve always been a party committed to low taxes, including low tariffs and free trade,” Pence said, according to OK! Magazine.
The former vice president also suggested Trump never really cared much about conservative ideology in the first place. “I know Donald Trump better than his most ardent defenders know him,” Pence said. “And he is not ideological.”
According to Pence, Trump often brushed off policy discussions inside the White House by simply calling things “common sense” rather than conservative.
The comments marked another major shift in Pence’s relationship with his former boss. While the pair once appeared politically inseparable during the 2017 to 2021 administration, things famously collapsed after Pence refused Trump’s demands to block certification of the 2020 election following the January 6 Capitol riot.
Since then, Pence has slowly positioned himself as one of the louder voices trying to pull the Republican Party back toward Reagan-era conservatism. Through his think tank, Advancing American Freedom, he has continued pushing traditional GOP talking points tied to free markets, small government, and strong foreign policy.
Reports have also suggested Mike Pence may consider a 2028 presidential run himself, though others believe he may ultimately try playing kingmaker instead.
TELL US — DO YOU THINK THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WILL MOVE AWAY FROM TRUMP’S STYLE OF POLITICS BEFORE 2028?
