Former vice president Mike Pence said Donald Trump’s actions during the January 6 attack on the Capitol “endangered” him, his family, and “everyone” who was present at the building when a riotous mob of Mr Trump’s supporters stormed it in hopes of preventing certification of the 2020 election results.
In an interview with ABC News to mark the release of his book, So Help Me God, Mr Pence slammed Mr Trump’s rhetoric that day. Mr Trump’s remarks included a tweet accusing Mr Pence of lacking the “courage” to illegally hijack the quadrennial joint session of Congress he was presiding over when rioters attacked.
“The president's words were reckless. It was clear he decided to be part of the problem,” he said.
Mr Pence also said he was “angered” by Mr Trump’s tweet, which caused some rioters to call for him to be hanged.
"I turned to my daughter, who was standing nearby, and I said, 'It doesn't take courage to break the law. It takes courage to uphold the law,'" he said. "The president's words were reckless and his actions were reckless — The president's words that day at the rally endangered me and my family and everyone at the Capitol building”.
