In the days leading up to the infamous Capitol riots, Donald Trump delivered a stern warning to his vice president, Mike Pence. Trump told Pence that if he didn’t halt the certification of the 2020 election, people would “hate your guts” and “think you’re stupid.” This exchange marked just one instance of Trump pressuring Pence in his attempts to overturn the election results. What became known as “Operation Pence Card” was a weeks-long campaign where Trump continuously urged Pence to help him remain in power.
“You’re too honest,” Trump told Pence during a phone call on New Year’s Day. Shortly after, Trump took to Twitter, encouraging his followers to come to Washington for a “BIG Protest Rally,” which would later become the January 6th insurrection. According to special counsel Jack Smith’s court filings, this pattern of pressure was just part of Trump’s extensive efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. As Trump prepares for another presidential run, he and his current running mate, JD Vance, still refuse to accept the results that declared Joe Biden the winner.
During this week’s vice presidential debate between Vance and Democratic nominee Tim Walz, Vance notably avoided confirming his acceptance of the 2020 election results. Walz, in a pointed response, remarked, “That’s why Mike Pence isn’t on this stage.”
A Shift in Strategy
Special counsel Jack Smith’s filing also outlines the tumultuous months after the election, during which Trump, along with allies such as Steve Bannon and Rudy Giuliani, sought to cling to power despite their legal challenges failing. In the days immediately following the election, Trump instructed Pence to review the claims of voter fraud, particularly in states they had won in 2016. Pence recalled Trump’s direction to “study up” during their November 4th call.
As Biden was declared the projected winner, Pence tried to comfort Trump, praising him for revitalizing the Republican Party. “You took a dying party and gave it a new lease on life,” Pence told him. However, as legal challenges continued to mount without success, Pence gently attempted to guide Trump toward accepting the results. On November 12th, Pence advised Trump not to concede but to acknowledge that the process was over.
Trump, however, was not ready to give up. By early December, his focus shifted to Congress’s role in the election process. For the first time, Trump mentioned to Pence the possibility of challenging the results in Congress, initiating what would become a relentless campaign against his own vice president.
Increasing Pressure and a Deteriorating Relationship
As legal avenues continued to fail, Trump’s team, led by Giuliani, pivoted to a new strategy, suggesting that Pence could single-handedly overturn the election results on January 6th. They proposed that Pence could reject the electors from seven contested states or send them back for reconsideration. This plan, widely deemed “crazy” by even some members of Trump’s campaign staff, became the focal point of Trump’s attempts to overturn the results.
On Christmas Day, Pence reminded Trump that he lacked the authority to change the outcome. “You know, I don’t think I have the authority to change the outcome,” Pence said. Yet, the pressure continued to mount. By New Year’s Day, Trump was openly berating Pence, warning him that he would be blamed if the certification process continued without intervention.
The tension reached its peak on January 5th, the day before the Capitol insurrection. During a private meeting, Trump once again told Pence he had the power to decertify the election. When Pence refused, Trump threatened to publicly condemn him, saying, “I’m going to have to say you did a great disservice.”
The following morning, Trump made one last attempt to sway Pence, telling him to be “tough” as the certification process began. When Pence again declined, Trump lashed out during his rally speech, directing a crowd of angry supporters to march on the Capitol. This would lead to the violent breach of the Capitol, with rioters chanting threats against Pence for not stopping the certification.
A Political Rift That Shaped History
The fallout from these events not only defined the end of Trump’s presidency but also marked a definitive break between him and his former vice president. Pence’s refusal to back Trump’s efforts to overturn the election, despite intense pressure, underscores a critical moment in American political history. This schism has continued to resonate in today’s political landscape, with Trump and his allies still casting doubt on the legitimacy of the 2020 election results as the country heads toward another presidential contest.
