Mike Pence, the former Vice President and a Republican presidential contender, expressed his views on Donald Trump's actions leading up to the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. In an interview

on CNN's "State of the Union," Pence referred to Trump's words as "reckless," but stated that he is not yet convinced they amounted to criminal behavior.

Last week, Trump revealed that he had been notified by special counsel Jack Smith that he is the target of an investigation by a Washington-based grand jury regarding the January 6 riot and attempts to overturn the 2020 election. The investigation reportedly involves three federal statutes related to the deprivation of rights, conspiracy to defraud the U.S., and tampering with a witness.

Pence expressed hope that it wouldn't lead to Trump being indicted and believed that the American people should be the ones to judge Trump's actions on January 6. Although he admitted uncertainty about Trump's intentions that day, Pence reiterated that he witnessed reckless actions. He also maintained his belief that history will ultimately hold Trump accountable.

Despite Trump indirectly warning Smith about potential consequences, Pence stated that he has confidence in the American people and is not worried about Trump's rhetoric.

Prior to the Capitol attack, Trump publicly criticized Pence for not obstructing Congress from certifying Joe Biden's election win. The events of January 6 led to some rioters chanting threats against Pence. Since then, Pence has distanced himself from Trump and criticized the baseless claims of widespread election fraud in the 2020 election.

While Pence has not directly attacked Trump since announcing his presidential campaign, he defended his strategy during a town hall event in New Hampshire, stating that he is not interested in engaging in insults with his former friend. Instead, he emphasized his focus on presenting the choice to the American people. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.