Staff Reports
Former Vice President Mike Pence criticized his Republican opponents in the 2024 presidential primary for allegedly “signaling retreat from America’s role as leader of the free world” after the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel over the weekend. Pence called out former President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Vivek Ramaswamy during his appearance on CNN’s State of the Union. He claimed that these leading voices within the party were contributing to a weakening of America’s global standing.
Pence highlighted the unprovoked aggression by Russia in Ukraine and likened it to the Hamas invasion in Israel. He emphasized the need for the Republican Party and America as a whole to stand without apology as the leader of the free world. Pence’s criticism of his opponents on foreign policy reveals the divisions within the Republican Party on issues of foreign aid and military involvement.
This is what happens when we have leading voices like Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Ron DeSantis signaling retreat from America’s role as leader of the free world. When I’m President of the United States, we’ll lead from American Strength. pic.twitter.com/gW3HaN4fIp
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) October 8, 2023
The former vice president further rebuked Trump, DeSantis, and Ramaswamy, blaming their populist and isolationist tendencies for Hamas’s successful attack in Israel. He argued that their approach contradicted the traditional view within the party that America should be the leader of the free world. Pence has consistently rallied for a return to American global leadership and denounced the growing populism within the GOP, advocating for Ronald Reagan’s approach of “peace through strength.”
Pence called on his competitors to abandon appeasement and take a strong stance in support of Israel and Ukraine. He promised that, if elected president, he would lead with American strength. It is worth noting that Trump, Ramaswamy, and DeSantis have all condemned the terrorist attacks and expressed their support for Israel.
