Mike Pence is opening up about his recent conversation with Donald Trump, their first in four years. In a podcast interview with Christianity Today, the former vice president revealed what he told his former boss during their brief exchange at Jimmy Carter's funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, Thursday.
What did Mike Pence say to Donald Trump at Jimmy Carter's funeral?
“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 told the outlet. The 65-year-old admitted that he was grateful for the “opportunity” to talk to the president-elect after years of having icy relations with him.
“The opportunity to speak to the president yesterday is something that I appreciated, I welcomed,” Pence continued. “I’ve really been blessed at how much I’ve heard from people around the country who saw [our] handshake, and in that handshake, saw some hope that we might be moving past those difficult days. That’s certainly my hope,” he added.
Reflecting on one of his final conversations with Trump during his first term at the White House, Pence revealed he had offered to pray for him. To which, the former and future president said, “Don't bother.” “I said, ‘You know, there’s probably two things that we’re never going to agree on,” Pence said, recalling the conversation.
“We’re probably never going to agree on what my duty was under the Constitution on January 6,” Pence told Trump at the time, adding, “And I’m never going to stop praying for you.” The president-elect replied with, “That’s right. Mike, don’t ever change.”
{{/usCountry}}“We’re probably never going to agree on what my duty was under the Constitution on January 6,” Pence told Trump at the time, adding, “And I’m never going to stop praying for you.” The president-elect replied with, “That’s right. Mike, don’t ever change.”
{{/usCountry}}Pence also addressed the controversy surrounding his wife Karen's alleged cold behaviour towards Trump and his wife Melania. The former second lady was seemingly caught on camera giving a cold shoulder to the couple when they walked passed her at Carter's funeral.
“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 of the controversy.