A Lincoln Project ad reportedly turned Trump against Mike Pence. Pence is now bending.
President Trump has turned against everyone he thinks isn't fighting to keep him in office after he lost the Nov. 3 election, according to several reports and Trump tweets. And among those the president considers insufficiently loyal is Vice President Mike Pence, Axios reports. "A source who spoke to Trump said the president was complaining about Pence and brought up a Lincoln Project ad that claims that Pence is 'backing away' from Trump. This ad has clearly got inside Trump's head, the source said," per Axios.
Some of the Lincoln Project's ads are explicitly aimed at getting inside Trump's head, and one spot about former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale reportedly helped lead to Parscale's ouster. Pence appears to be taking Trump's feelings seriously. Trump can't fire Pence, but "the vice president does not want to leave on bad terms with the president, I can assure you that," an administration official with knowledge of Pence's thinking told The Washington Post.
When Pence addressed the pro-Trump group Turning Point USA in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, he fed them "the mirage that the election fight was not yet over," the Post reports. "As our election contest continues, I'll make you a promise: We're going to keep fighting until every legal vote is counted," Pence said. "We're going to win Georgia, we're going to save America, and we'll never stop fighting to make America great again." Trump's loss in Georgia has already been affirmed several times, including after both a hand recount and a machine recount.
Subscribe to 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.
The big challenge for Pence will be presiding over the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress that will ratify President-elect Biden's electoral victory. "Pence's role on Jan. 6 has begun to loom large in Trump's mind," Axios reports. "Trump would view Pence performing his constitutional duty — and validating the election result — as the ultimate betrayal." Pence and his advisers "have begun thinking about how to handle Jan. 6 and escape Trump's ire, but no final decisions have been made," the Post adds.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - December 21, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - losing it, pedal to the metal, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Three fun, festive activities to make the magic happen this Christmas Day
Inspire your children to help set the table, stage a pantomime and write thank-you letters this Christmas!
By The Week Junior Published
-
The best books of 2024 to give this Christmas
The Week Recommends From Percival Everett to Rachel Clarke these are the critics' favourite books from 2024
By The Week UK Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published