Pence helped secure 2nd term with Trump by reportedly remaining 'relentlessly positive' on coronavirus

President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
(Image credit: Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)

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.

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

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.

Explore More

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.