Donald Trump Told Mike Pence Certifying the 2020 Election Results Would Be a 'Career Killer,' Witness Testifies
House Republicans released testimony on Friday, March 22, that shed light on a crucial phone call between then-President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence on the morning of January 6, 2021.
The New York businessman turned GOP leader told his VP that certifying the 2020 election results would be a "career killer."
A White House valet, who accompanied Trump throughout that fateful day, provided a detailed account of the call to the now-defunct House committee investigating the January 6 attempted insurrection.
The witness, whose identity remained undisclosed, recounted Trump's direct threat to Pence during the conversation. They also emphasized the seriousness of the threat made by the outgoing president to his own vice president.
The call between Trump and Pence took place before Trump's provocative speech at the Ellipse, where he urged his supporters to march to the US Capitol and disrupt the certification process that Pence was presiding over.
The valet's testimony indicated that Trump was making a last-ditch effort to persuade Pence to intervene in the electoral vote tally.
Despite Trump's pressure, Pence and his advisers had maintained that there was no legal basis for altering the election outcome and that such actions would be unconstitutional.
Pence explicitly stated in a letter to lawmakers that Trump's requests went against the principles of the Constitution and law.
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The aftermath of Trump's threat became evident as Pence's political career took a hit.
While Pence announced his candidacy for the 2024 GOP nomination, he struggled to gain support from the pro-Trump faction within the Republican Party. Eventually, Pence withdrew from the race.
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As OK! previously reported, Pence announced that he would not endorse Trump as president after he secured the GOP nomination for 2024.
“Donald Trump is pursuing and articulating an agenda that is at odds with the conservative agenda that we governed on during our four years," he said at the time. "That’s why I cannot in good conscience endorse Donald Trump in this campaign.”
The announcement came after Trump publicly called for his endorsement, citing their previous partnership during his time in the White House.
The New York Times provided quotes and sources used in this article.