This was unexpected.
On Friday, former Vice President Mike Pence responded to the conviction of former President Donald Trump in a New York City courtroom, expressing grave concern over what he described as a troubling precedent.
Pence remarked to Fox News Digital, “The conviction of former President Trump on charges that appear politically motivated is an outrage and a disservice to our nation.”
He emphasized that while no one is exempt from the law, the judicial system should never be weaponized against political adversaries. “To many Americans, this seems like a political prosecution driven by a Manhattan DA who campaigned on the promise to indict the former president. This conviction erodes public trust in our justice system.”
Pence further elaborated, “This conviction projects a damaging image of the American justice system to the world and exacerbates divisions within our country, especially at a time when Americans are grappling with the ineffective policies of the Biden administration both domestically and internationally.”
He added, “With the former president now convicted, he has every right to appeal. I trust that the appeal process will rectify this situation and help restore faith in our judicial system and the principle of equal justice.”
On Thursday, Trump was found guilty on all counts in a landmark and unprecedented trial, marking the first time a former U.S. president has been convicted of a crime.
Following the jury’s decision, Trump addressed the media outside the courtroom, denouncing the trial as a farce. “This was a disgrace. The trial was rigged by a biased and corrupt judge. We weren’t granted a change of venue, and we only had 5% or 6% support in this district. This was a rigged, disgraceful trial.”
Trump concluded, “The real judgment will come on November 5, from the people.”
Pence is among numerous Republicans defending Trump against the conviction and has previously criticized the indictment. In a March 2023 interview with CNN, Pence called the indictment on a campaign finance issue “an outrage” and suggested it was seen by many as politically motivated.
His relationship with Trump deteriorated after the January 6 riots, during which Trump blamed Pence for not rejecting contested electoral votes. In March, Pence clarified his stance, stating he would not endorse Trump.
“I will not be endorsing Donald Trump this year,” Pence told Fox News, highlighting his pride in their administration’s conservative accomplishments, which he believes made America more prosperous, secure, and peaceful.