Former Vice President Mike Pence is once again publicly diverging from President Donald Trump, stating that anyone who assaulted police officers during the January 6th Capitol riot should never receive taxpayer-funded compensation.
In an interview with Axios promoting his upcoming book What Conservatives Believe, Pence described January 6th as a “tragic day” and drew a firm line against rewarding violence.
“I didn’t agree with the President when he pardoned people who engaged in violence against law enforcement officials,” Pence said. “And it would be my hope that anyone who engaged in violence against law enforcement or at the Capitol building would never be rewarded with taxpayers’ money.”
Pence’s remarks come after the Trump administration announced a $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” as part of a settlement resolving the president’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. The fund aims to compensate Americans who claim they were victims of government “weaponization.”
The broad scope of the fund has sparked debate over whether some January 6 defendants could qualify. Trump has pardoned hundreds of participants and referred to many as “patriots” and “hostages.” Critics argue that includes individuals who violently attacked police officers.
Pence has long distinguished between peaceful protesters and those who engaged in violence that day. His relationship with Trump fractured after January 6, when Trump and allies pressured him to delay certification of the 2020 election results.
Pence urged the Republican Party to return to core conservative principles — strong national defense, fiscal responsibility, and traditional values — rather than personality-driven politics.
“The overwhelming majority of people that have ever voted for Republican candidates still believe in those time-honored principles,” he said.
The comments underscore ongoing tensions within the GOP between establishment conservatives and Trump’s populist supporters over the legacy of January 6. The Department of Justice has described the fund as a voluntary process to address past wrongs, with unspent funds reverting to the government.
