Former Vice President Mike Pence has issued one of his most direct rebukes yet of former President Donald Trump, warning that the administration’s broad-based tariff policy could provoke a significant “price shock” and potential shortages, while ultimately triggering public backlash that may force a change in course.
In a comprehensive interview with CNN following his receipt of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, Pence took aim at several key aspects of Trump’s second-term agenda. He criticized what he described as the White House’s “wavering” commitment to Ukraine and openly contradicted Trump’s repeated claims about Russian President Vladimir Putin, asserting: “Putin doesn’t want peace—he wants Ukraine.”
The award recognized Pence’s role in upholding the U.S. Constitution on January 6, 2021, when he resisted pressure from Trump to reject the certification of Joe Biden’s electoral victory—an act of integrity that drew violent threats, including chants of “hang Mike Pence” from the Capitol rioters.
Addressing Trump’s recent decision to pardon approximately 1,600 individuals convicted for their roles in the January 6 insurrection, Pence said the move “sent the wrong message.”
“I was deeply disappointed to see President Trump pardon people that engaged in violence against law enforcement officers that day,” he said.
Turning to economic policy, Pence criticized the administration’s sweeping imposition of tariffs, including a 90-day pause on most exports—a measure that followed sharp volatility in international markets. He described the tariffs as “not a win for the American people,” and warned that the most damaging effects have yet to emerge.
“With the president’s call for broad-based tariffs against friend and foe alike, the administration is promoting policies that resemble a new industrial strategy more than a targeted trade response,” Pence said. “These measures risk driving up inflation, burdening consumers, and ultimately weakening the American economy.”
He added that even the administration acknowledges the possibility of a price shock and supply disruptions once the export moratorium lifts.
Pence also cited Trump’s recent comments trivializing the economic impact of the tariffs—suggesting American children may now have only two dolls instead of thirty, and that “maybe the dolls will cost a couple of bucks more.”
“Keeping our kids’ toys affordable: that really is part of the American dream,” Pence said. “I think the American people will see the consequences of this approach and demand a new direction.”
On foreign policy, Pence voiced deep concern over Trump’s posture toward Ukraine, particularly his repeated praise of Putin and suggestion that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy bears responsibility for the war. He noted that even amid a ceasefire agreement, Russia has continued to escalate attacks, including recent missile strikes on Kyiv.
“If the past three years have taught us anything, it’s that Vladimir Putin doesn’t want peace—he wants Ukraine,” Pence said. “The administration’s inconsistent support has only emboldened Moscow.”
Pence also dismissed Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric toward Canada, which has included trade sanctions and a quip about annexing the country as the 51st U.S. state.
“Canada is a valued ally,” Pence emphasized. “Its soldiers have fought and died alongside Americans in every major conflict since World War I.”
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