Rumors have long swirled that President Donald Trump plans to dump Vice President Mike Pence ahead of the 2020 election to replace him with another big-name conservative. But according to Pence, that’s not going to happen.
“I’m honored that [Trump has] asked me to run with him again,” the vice president told Fox’s Judge Jeanine Pirro in an exclusive interview that aired Saturday, according to Fox News.
“I couldn’t be more proud”
In her interview with Pence, Pirro discussed China and trade deals before broaching the subject of the 2020 ticket — and the rumors that Pence could be replaced by former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley.
The question came in response to a November claim made by anti-Trump Republican strategist Steve Schmidt. According to The Hill, Schmidt said during an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe last month that “there’s an overwhelming chance that Trump will dump Pence to put Nikki Haley on the ticket because he has an enormous problem with women — suburban women, particularly.”
Asked for his response, Pence said: “You know, I couldn’t be more proud to be vice president alongside President Donald Trump.”
Looking to 2020, the vice president said he’s “honored” to run with Trump again, confirming that the president still has no plans to replace his VP.
“A great honor”
According to Pence, Trump has said the same things to him privately about the matter as he’s said publicly. “And I’m humbled by that,” the Indiana native said.
“My whole ambition in life was to be the congressman from my hometown and I got elected to Congress in the year 2000 and I never imagined that I’d be able to be governor of my home state,” Pence explained. “And to be able to be here at the White House to be serving as vice president, and to be asked to run again with this president, to continue to advance the agenda that we’ve been able to advance for this country is a great honor.”
Asked if he was “confident” that he’d remain on the ticket in 2020, Pence replied: “I’m not only confident of that, I’m confident we’re going to win in 2020.” Take a look:
“I am honored that he’s asked me to run with him again,” @Mike_Pence responds to rumors that he’s running alongside President Trump in 2020. Check out PART 2 of my EXCLUSIVE interview: pic.twitter.com/j12QelQcF8
— Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) December 8, 2019
To hear the critics in the media talk, one would assume that Pence has already packed his bags and is preparing to return home to Indiana as Haley measures the drapes and makes preparations to move into the vice presidential residence. But as Trump and Pence have repeatedly stated — and now, once again confirmed — Pence isn’t going anywhere except the campaign trail.
This should put all of the rumors to rest — but knowing how the left operates, it’s safe to say liberals will probably still be speculating about Pence being replaced even after he and the president are sworn-in for their second terms.
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