Former Vice President Mike Pence sits down with Margaret Hoover to discuss the first six months of Donald Trump’s second term and his advocacy for adhering to the conservative principles that he feels led to success in the first Trump administration.

Pence assesses President Trump’s apparent shift toward a more aggressive posture against Vladimir Putin and makes the case for continued U.S. aid to Ukraine. He also praises Trump’s support for Israel and suggests the debate over striking Iran’s nuclear facilities dampened the influence of GOP isolationists on the president.

But Pence raises concerns about Trump’s tariffs–which he says the president has no authority to impose–and his refusal to enforce the ban on TikTok that was passed by Congress. He defends Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill for extending the Trump-Pence tax cuts and reforming Medicaid, but he calls for more leadership from Republicans on reducing deficits going forward.

Pence also explains why he sent a letter to a January 6th rioter who refused a pardon from President Trump, and he offers his take on whether Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, whether Afghans who aided the U.S. should face deportation, and whether the Trump family should be profiting off the presidency.

Support for Firing Line with Margaret Hoover is provided by Robert Granieri, The Tepper Foundation, Vanessa and Henry Cornell, The Fairweather Foundation, and Pritzker Military Foundation.

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