Mike Pence takes extraordinary swipe at Trump in sign that he wants to return to politics

Former Vice President Mike Pence this week laid out his vision of a winning Republican manifesto, calling on party candidates to embrace a traditional conservative platform rejecting ‘protectionist tariffs’ and ‘isolationism’ while recommitting to anti-abortion positions.

Nowhere does he mention Donald Trump.

But Trumpism is the clear target of his attack in an op-ed piece that has triggered speculation that he is preparing for a return to politics if his former boss loses the election in November.   

‘From both an ideological and a pragmatic perspective, the wise choice for Republican candidates would be to stay on the course we began in 2017,’ he writes in the Wall Street Journal. 

Mike Pence with then Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in 2016

‘As down-ballot Republicans approach the homestretch of this election, they should promise to deliver peace through strength, not isolationism and the abandonment of American leadership. 

‘Republicans should pledge to deliver better trade deals that increase prosperity, not protectionist tariffs that make products more expensive.’

Trump has put tariffs at the heart of his economic program, using them in an attempt to punish adversaries such as China, bring manufacturing back to the U.S. and raise revenues.

However, economists warn that it will be American importers who are saddled with the bills and will simply pass costs on to consumers. 

And he takes aim at other parts of Trump’s manifesto and areas such as abortion where he has flip-flopped.

‘Republicans should commit to tackling the growing debt that threatens to bankrupt the nation, pledging to adopt responsible budgets that fix America’s broken entitlement programs before they collapse,’ he writes. 

‘Republicans should unashamedly recommit to the pro-life cause, which remains the great moral calling of our era and the issue that has animated the party for over half a century.’ 

Pence was Trump’s loyal vice president for four years before falling out over Trump’s efforts to cling illegally to power after losing the 2024 election.

For now, Pence finds himself out of step with the populist, Trumpist direction of the Republican Party. But that could change if Trump loses in November

Pence launched his presidential run with wife Karen in June last year. He dropped out after three months as his campaign struggled to gain momentum

With much of the Republican Party in the grip of the MAGA movement, Pence has found himself out of favor.

He ended his own presidential run in October last year after never gaining any traction.

But allies think it is just a matter of time before he returns to the fore.

‘There’s room for his voice and the voices of others, for this reason: Our party is, at this point, mostly a political coalition in search of a clear policy agenda,’ Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, told Semafor. 

‘At some point we’re going to have to gravitate around a clear policy agenda … And Mike Pence is very well equipped to do that.’

Pence has occasionally criticized his former boss, such as earlier this year when he accused him of retreating from his anti-abortion stance

For now, he is quietly working on policy and occasionally popping up to criticize Trump for abandoning some of the conservative priorities of their administration.

Much of his focus centers on his group Advancing American Freedom, which develops conservative policies. 

Pence’s longtime adviser Marc Short said it was vital work.

‘The Republican party has increasingly embraced populism as they’ve walked away from trusted conservative, free-market principles,’ he posted on X. 

‘The party still needs those core conservative values today and beyond.’