New Delhi:
Former Vice President Mike Pence spoke about his first interaction with President Donald Trump since he left the White House in 2021. The meeting took place Thursday at former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.
“He greeted me as he came down the aisle. I stood up and extended my hand. He shook my hand. I said, 'Congratulations, Mr. President,' and he said, ' Thank you, Mike,''' Pence, 65, said. christianity today.
On Thursday, as former presidents, first ladies and vice presidents gathered at the National Cathedral for Jimmy Carter's funeral, Pence said, “I am so grateful that God put me in one of these lines.'' “Sometimes I can't believe it,” he said. The media emphasized the handshake with Trump, noting Karen Pence's apparent refusal to shake Trump's hand.
“I'm really happy to have received so many comments of joy from people all over the country who saw this.” [our] We shook hands, and in that handshake I saw hope that we might be able to overcome those difficult days. “That's certainly my hope,” he said.
“I appreciated and welcomed the opportunity to speak with the president,'' he said.
Relations between Pence and Trump have cooled since former President Pence publicly criticized him for certifying the 2020 election results on January 6, 2021. That day, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, some chanting “Hang Mike Pence.”
Reflecting on their past, Pence recalled one of their last conversations after taking office. “I said, 'There are probably two things we can never agree on. What my obligations under the January 6th Constitution are. And I will never stop praying for you,” Pence said. Trump said: “That's right. Mike, never change.”
In his podcast, Pence also addressed speculation about his wife, Karen Pence, who allegedly snubbed Donald Trump and Melania Trump during their funeral.
“You have to ask my wife about her attitude, but we've been married for 44 years and she loves her husband and he deeply respects his wife,” Pence said. he said.
Mike Pence ran for president in 2023, but dropped out by the end of the year. When Trump refused to support him, the former president dismissed it by saying, “I can't care less,” adding, “We need strong people in this country. We don't need weak people.”