Former Vice President Mike Pence is not endorsing his one-time boss in the 2024 presidential election, but he nonetheless appears to be willing to give him hints on debating Vice President Kamala Harris.
In an interview with Real Clear Politics, Pence said that the best way for Trump to succeed in his debate against Harris would be to force her to defend the record of the Biden administration.
"We went into that debate with the expectation that she would be formidable, that she would be poised, and that she would make her case," he said. "I think we were right about the first two things, and not really the third in this sense: She either can’t, or won’t, defend her record."
Like many other Republicans, Pence thinks making a policy-centric attack on Harris and avoiding personal insults will be key.
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“My advice to my old running mate is that he should challenge her to defend her record,” he said. “Answer the question as quickly as you can, but then I think he should attack."
Despite giving Trump advice, however, Pence reiterated that he would not be endorsing Trump.
"I’m staying out of the presidential race on our side,” he told the website, while also adding that he could never support Harris.
Trump's relationship with Pence deteriorated after Trump falsely told his supporters that Pence had the power to unilaterally throw out state-certified election results, and then for hours refused to condemn a violent mob that broke into the Capitol and sent Pence fleeing for his life while chanting for him to be hung.
