WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — During a visit to West Palm Beach on Friday, former Vice President Mike Pence touched on a variety of topics, including his relationship with President Donald Trump, tariffs and Ukraine.
The Friday afternoon event hosted by the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches was held at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts and moderated by WPTV morning anchor Hollani Davis.
Pence recounted his "warm exchange" with Trump at former President Jimmy Carter's funeral in January.
"I'm incredibly proud of the record of the Trump-Pence administration. The way that we rebuilt our military, revived our economy, appointed conservatives to our courts at every level," Pence said. "It didn't end like I wanted it to, but at the end of the day, the president and I, after everything that happened, people should know that we parted amicably."
When he shook hands with Trump at Carter's funeral, Pence said he congratulated him on his election victory.
"I could see his face soften, and he said, 'Thank you, Mike,'" Pence recalled. "I pray for the president and our first lady. I pray for the vice president and second lady."
Trump's controversial decision to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China is something he was privy to during his tenure as vice president.
"I've seen (Trump) use tariffs as leverage, and I support that," Pence said.
However, the former vice president pushed back on what he called "broad-based" tariffs because of the impact on U.S. consumers.
"People who understand these things know that importers in this country pay the tariff — not companies outside the country — and the importers pass along the cost of that tariff to consumers," Pence said. "My concern is about inflation; it's about stifling growth in the economy, so we're going to continue to make a case against broad-based tariffs."
He commended Trump's action to stem the flow of illegal immigration into the country, saying the problem "is essentially over."
The former vice president also touched on meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"I've met leaders from around the world, and the one thing I learned in those days is there's no substitute for America in the free world," Pence said. "America is the leader of the free world, and if America's not leading, the free world's not being led."
He called on the U.S. to continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
"I've been a stalwart advocate for U.S. military support for Ukraine, and I will be until peace is secure," Pence said. "I have not doubt if Vladimir Putin overruns Ukraine, it's only a matter of time before he crosses a border that our men and women in uniform are going to have to go fight him."
The former vice president addressed the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election.
"I was moved into the garage underneath the Senate," Pence said. "They wanted me to leave the building, but I made it clear to my team I was not going to let the crowd ransacking the Capitol see a 16-car motorcade speeding away. I was determined to stay at my post and finish my job."
He said he had "no objection" to Trump pardoning the people arrested for the events on Jan. 6 who were "caught up in the moment" and didn't engage in violence or vandalism. However, he pushed back on pardons for people who attacked police.
"No one who assaulted a police officer or vandalized the U.S. Capitol should ever have been pardoned," Pence said.
Pence didn't rule out an end to his political career.
"As far as our future, we'll let the future take care of itself," Pence said.
The Forum Club of the Palm Beaches bills itself as Florida's largest nonpartisan political and public affairs organization. Since 1976, the group said it has worked to "stimulate thought and "promote dialogue."
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