Mike Pence's office insists he didn't write that New York Times op-ed

Vice President Mike Pence.
(Image credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

The vice president of the United States is now publicly denying that he is actively working to sabotage the president.

This development comes after The New York Times published a stunning op-ed on Wednesday in which an anonymous senior Trump administration official claims to be part of a movement of resisters trying to undermine the president and his agenda from within. Some suspected the piece could have been written by Vice President Mike Pence because of the author's use of the word "lodestar," a favorite of Pence's.

But Jarrod Agen, Pence's communications director, put out a statement Thursday morning strongly denying that this is the case and insisting that Pence signs all of the op-eds he writes.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
See more

It's possible the use of the word "lodestar" in the op-ed might have been the author's attempt to throw readers off the scent and make them suspect Pence. Back in May, an anonymous White House leaker told Axios they consciously use the favored idioms of other staffers to cover their own tracks.

Pence isn't the only senior administration official feeling the need to deny, deny, deny. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also insists he is not the author, adding that whoever wrote the op-ed is a "disgruntled, deceptive bad actor," NBC News' Hallie Jackson reports.

To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.