On the morning of January 6, 2021, then-President Donald Trump reportedly threatened then-Vice President Mike Pence, warning him that certifying the election results would be a 'political career killer.' This revelation came from a White House valet who overheard part of the call between Trump and Pence.
The valet, who was with Trump for most of that day, described the phone call during the now-defunct House committee's investigation into the January 6 insurrection. Trump's side of the conversation included a direct threat to Pence, urging him to 'do what's right' and warning him of the consequences.
Although the transcript of the valet's testimony was not initially made public by the January 6 committee, House Republicans released it recently. The call between Trump and Pence occurred before Trump's controversial speech at the Ellipse, where he encouraged his supporters to march to the US Capitol and 'fight like hell' to stop the certification of the election results.
Despite Trump's pressure, Pence and his advisers had consistently maintained that there was no legal basis to interfere with the electoral vote tally. Pence, in a letter to lawmakers on January 6, emphasized that Trump's requests were unconstitutional and went against the principles of the country's founders.
Following the events of January 6, Pence's relationship with Trump deteriorated. Pence's bid for the 2024 GOP nomination faced challenges as he failed to garner support from the Trump-aligned Republican base. Ultimately, Pence withdrew from the race in October and recently announced that he would not be endorsing Trump.
