Pence helped secure 2nd term with Trump by reportedly remaining 'relentlessly positive' on coronavirus
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
How did Vice President Mike Pence secure President Trump's trust in a historically tumultuous administration? Very, very carefully.
Over the past four years, Pence has done everything he can to avoid blocking Trump's spotlight, allies and administration officials tell The Washington Post. That "durable and close" relationship secured Pence's spot on Trump's 2020 ticket, one Pence ally said — but also reportedly came at the expense of the advice Pence delivered Trump on coronavirus.
As the head of America's COVID-19 response, Pence has delivered "detailed instructions for governors about how they can request federal resources and assistance," and "gone out of his way to compliment" them in a very un-Trumpian manner, the Post writes. But some aides also say Pence has "painted a 'relentlessly positive' picture" of the virus to Trump, perhaps harming his coronavirus response, the Post continues. Dr. Anthony Fauci told the Post that Pence always gave Trump an "optimistic" view of the virus, but that didn't stop him from presenting "darker" news when necessary.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
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.
Beyond his positive coronavirus spin, Pence's allies maintain he has never stepped beyond his current duties to imply he'll seek the presidency in 2024. That political future is uncertain anyway because, as one Republican operative told the Post, "Who do you talk to who's fired up for Mike Pence?" And if 2020 doesn't work out, it's even more clear Pence is headed for the "markdown bin," allies say. Read more about what's next for Pence at The Washington Post.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
How the FCC’s ‘equal time’ rule worksIn the Spotlight The law is at the heart of the Colbert-CBS conflict
-
What is the endgame in the DHS shutdown?Today’s Big Question Democrats want to rein in ICE’s immigration crackdown
-
‘Poor time management isn’t just an inconvenience’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Witkoff and Kushner tackle Ukraine, Iran in GenevaSpeed Read Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear deal with Iran and an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine
-
Pentagon spokesperson forced out as DHS’s resignsSpeed Read Senior military adviser Col. David Butler was fired by Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is resigning
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
