Mike Pence is standing up for himself after Mitt Romney shaded him in his upcoming book.
In a leaked excerpt, the U.S. Senator wrote, "[Nobody] had been more loyal, more willing to smile when he saw absurdities, more willing to ascribe God’s will to things that were ungodly than Mike Pence."
The former VP addressed his words during a Sunday, September 17, interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, who asked, "Do you think that you used your faith to justify ungodly things as vice president?"
"You know, when that phone rang in 2016, my wife and I went to prayer about the invitation to join the national ticket," he responded. "I believe we were called to serve and I’m incredibly proud of the record of the Trump-Pence administration."
"Mitt Romney has no idea what I was doing in the administration. I haven't talked to Mitt Romney for years. I think he can go off into retirement…" Pence continued, the last bit referring to Romney's recent reveal that he wouldn't be running for reelection.
"I know the stance that we took. I know the stance that we maintained, and I’ll always believe we were called to that fight, and I believe in this moment that my family’s called now to step forward here in Iowa," he said while in the state to campaign for his 2024 presidential bid.
Though Pence may have supported Donald Trump during their time in the White House, the two had a falling out after Pence ridiculed the businessman's actions in relation to the January 6 Capitol riots.
"For 7 years Mike Pence only spoke well of me. Now he’s decided to go to the 'Dark Side,'" Trump wrote on September 6 via a Truth Social post. "Why didn’t he do this years before, just like why didn’t DOJ and Deranged Jack Smith bring these Fake Indictments three years ago."
Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!
"Was just watching Mike Pence make up stories about me, which are absolutely false. I never said for him to put me before the Constitution – I don’t talk that way, and wouldn’t even think to suggest it," the ex-POTUS continued in another upload. "Mike failed badly on calling out Voter Fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election, and based on the fact that he is at approximately 2 percent in the Polls, with no money or support, he obviously did the wrong thing. His advisors have led him down a very bad path!"
Mediaite reported on Pence's response, while The Atlantic obtained the excerpt of Romney's book
