a fragile friendship
Trump reportedly told Pence he wouldn't want to be his friend anymore if he didn't block election certification
Former President Donald Trump reportedly tried to hold his friendship with former Vice President Mike Pence hostage as he tried to convince the latter to block Congress' election certification in general, according to an excerpt from the upcoming book Peril by journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa.
When Pence told Trump that the Constitution did not allow him to do anything about the certification process, despite claims from some of Trump's supporters, the president first tried to tempt him with the promise of authority. "But wouldn't it be almost cool to have that power?," Trump reportedly asked.
Pence reportedly assured him he didn't think "any one person" should "have that authority" and held his ground, adding that he had "done everything I could and then some to find a way around this," but "it's simply not possible."
That's when Trump reportedly began shouting. "You don't understand Mike," he said, according to Woodward and Costa. "You can do this. I don't want to be your friend anymore if you don't do this."
Ultimately, Pence held firm and it appears a wedge did grow between the two in the aftermath, though the precise state of their current relationship has mostly been kept under wraps. Read more from Peril at CNN.