After sharing the White House for four years, former Vice President Mike Pence has had plenty of lively discussions with former President Donald Trump. But now, he wants to take on his ex-boss on a national debate stage.
During an appearance in Georgia on Friday, Pence revealed that he's champing at the bit to debate Trump.
While the former vice president admitted that he'll "always be proud of the record of the Trump-Pence administration," his respect and view of the former president changed on January 6, 2021, when the U.S. Capitol Building was attacked. Pence was presiding over a joint session of Congress to certify the election results when a group of Trump supporters, driven by the lie that the election was stolen, stormed the Capitol -- with some in the mob chanting, "Hang Mike Pence."
"I always stood loyally by President Donald Trump until my oath to the constitution required me to do otherwise," Pence said. "But my differences with the president go far beyond that fateful day."
"I hope to have a chance to debate him with him," he continued. "Sometimes people ask me, 'How do you envision debating Donald Trump?' And I say I've debated Donald Trump 1,000 times -- just not with the cameras on."
Pence, who kicked off his own campaign last June before suspending it in October, said he and Trump, the GOP nominee, have "real differences" about the future of the country.
"I believe America is the leader of the free world, the arsenal of democracy. I frankly hear the former president and other candidates in the field wanting to pull back from American leadership, whether it be in Eastern Europe or confronting a round of the balance on the national debt," he said. "I won't do that."
The former vice president also took issue with Trump's stance on abortion, which he previously called a 'slap in the face' and a betrayal of Republicans. Trump said he would not support a national abortion ban if he were to return to office, rather leaving the issue up to the states to decide.
"When the Supreme Court overturned Roe versus Wade, they returned the question of abortion to the states and the American people," Pence said. "It's important to remember the American people also elect presidents, they elect senators, they elect congressmen."
Pence added that during all his time in politics, his opinion of the federal government continues to go down as his opinion of the American people goes up "every single day."
"I believe the American people are the most generous, kind, freedom-loving, faith-filled, idealistic people the world has ever known. We just need government as good as our people again," he said.
Trump has not commented publicly on Pence's remarks.