Former President Donald Trump took a jab at Mike Pence, saying during a recent interview with Vanity Fair, saying that the former Vice President “hurt himself badly” for not helping him overturn the 2020 election.
Trump’s comments came as he also criticized his former United Nations ambassador, Nikki Haley, a possible 2024 GOP presidential contender who said she was furious with her ex-boss for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and how he treated Pence amid the incident.
“Well, every time she criticizes me, she uncriticizes me about 15 minutes later,” Trump said to Vanity Fair. “I guess she gets the base.”
During an interview with Politico earlier this year, Haley expressed her frustration over Trump’s actions around the Jan. 6 attack.
“When I tell you I’m angry, it’s an understatement,” Haley told the news outlet when asked if she had spoken with Trump since the insurrection, adding that she was “disgusted” by the ex-president’s treatment of former Vice President Pence.
“Mike has been nothing but loyal to that man. He’s been nothing but a good friend of that man,” she said. “I am so disappointed in the fact that [despite] the loyalty and friendship he had with Mike Pence, that he would do that to him. Like, I’m disgusted by it.”
Trump kept up his criticism of Pence, another possible 2024 primary challenger, telling Vanity Fair that Pence may not fare well among voters because of his role in certifying the 2020 presidential election results.
“Mike hurt himself very badly when he didn’t send the numbers back to the legislatures,” Trump told Vanity Fair.
Trump himself has not officially stated whether he will vie for another presidential run, which could keep GOP presidential hopefuls in limbo as they seek to avoid entering his crosshairs.
A recent poll conducted by July Hill-HarrisX found that 56 percent of registered Republican voters said they’d consider casting their ballots for Trump in the next GOP primary, compared to 28 percent for Pence and 15 percent for Haley.
