Pence: ‘History will hold Donald Trump accountable’ for Jan. 6
In a speech Saturday night, former Vice President Mike Pence delivered what amounted to his strongest rebuke of Donald Trump to date, criticizing the former president for his role in the lead-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol as well as attempts to rewrite the history of that day.
“President Trump was wrong,” Mr. Pence said. “I had no right to overturn the election. And his reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day. And I know that history will hold Donald Trump accountable.”
Mr. Pence was speaking at the Gridiron dinner, a whitetie event thrown by journalists in Washington that this year included speeches by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, in addition to Mr. Pence. The annual event tends to be a lighthearted affair, with skits and parody songs performed by members of the Washington press corps.
The night also features comedy routines from politicians, who are often more willing to cut loose than usual, perhaps because the Gridiron does not allow television cameras. Mr. Pence’s performance included his own attempt at a comedy routine, replete with knocks on his former running mate.
He joked that Mr. Trump’s ego was so fragile, he wanted his vice president to sing “Wind Beneath My Wings” — one of the lines is “did you ever know that you’re my hero?” — during their weekly lunches.
Mr. Pence also hinted about his own potential run for president. “I will wholeheartedly, unreservedly support the Republican nominee for president in 2024,” he said. “If it’s me.”
Near the end of Mr. Pence’s speech, he said there was one topic he would not joke about.
“The American people have a right to know what took place at the Capitol on January 6th,” he said. “But make no mistake about it, what happened that day was a disgrace, and it mocks decency to portray it in any other way.”
Even before the dinner was over, Mr. Pence was facing criticism for his jokes about Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay Cabinet member in U.S. history.
Mr. Pence mentioned that, despite travel problems that were plaguing Americans, Mr. Buttigieg took “maternity leave” after he and his husband adopted newborn twins.
“Pete is the only person in human history to have a child and everyone else gets postpartum depression,” Mr. Pence said.