Many viewers took note of the seemingly frosty reception President Donald Trump received from his former Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen Pence, at the recent funeral for former President Jimmy Carter.
During a subsequent interview, however, Pence insisted that his interaction with Trump was warmer than it might have appeared on video.
According to The Hill :
“He greeted me when he came down the aisle. I stood up, extended my hand. He shook my hand. I said, ‘Congratulations, Mr. President,’ and he said, ‘Thanks, Mike,’” Pence said in an interview with Christianity Today.
The funeral in Washington, D.C., was the first time Trump and Pence were in the same room since the end of their administration in January 2021.
When Pence and Trump shook hands and exchanged a few words, former second lady Karen Pence remained seated and did not interact with Trump or incoming first lady Melania Trump.
The former vice president acknowledged her refusing to acknowledge Trump.
“You’d have to ask my wife about her posture, but we’ve been married 44 years, and she loves her husband, and her husband respects her deeply,” Pence said to Christianity Today.
The interaction fueled significant social media speculation in the wake of Carter’s funeral:
Pence touched on a number of other topics during his recent interview, including some criticism of the nominees Trump has picked thus far for his second term.
Per Christianity Today :
During the interview with Moore, Pence’s most critical remarks came when asked about some of Trump’s nominees for his upcoming term. He said he doesn’t think the Republican-controlled Senate should confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head Health and Human Services, citing the former independent presidential contender’s pro-choice stance on abortion and lack of qualifications.
A stalwart advocate for the United States’ continued support of Ukraine, Pence also said he had concerns about former US Rep. Tulsi Gabbard potentially serving as national intelligence director, citing her “willingness to essentially be an apologist for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin over recent months,” and added that her 2017 visit with Syria’s recently ousted dictator, Bashar al-Assad, is also a matter of concern.
Here’s Steve Bannon’s take on how the Trumps were treated at Carter’s funeral:
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