Pence defends Trump for ‘speaking his mind’ after attack on judge

Vice President Pence on Saturday defended President Trump following his criticism of a federal judge, arguing the president was simply “speaking his mind.”

“I think the American people are very accustomed to this president speaking his mind and speaking very straight with them,” Pence said during an interview with ABC News’s George Stephanopoulos set to air Sunday.

Seattle-based federal Judge James Robart on Friday issued a temporary restraining order halting Trump’s controversial executive order that barred citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S.  

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Trump responded to the ruling on Twitter early Saturday, calling the order “ridiculous” and labeling Robart a “so-called judge.” Later in the day, the president issued another rebuke of the ruling, calling it “terrible” and suggesting that it would allow “dangerous people” to enter the U.S.

“Because the ban was lifted by a judge, many very bad and dangerous people may be pouring into our country. A terrible decision,” Trump tweeted.

Pence vented frustration with the ruling, and argued that the president had acted completely within his legal authority. He also vowed that the administration would fight the ruling from Robart, who was nominated by former President George W. Bush.

“President Trump has made it clear that our administration is going to put the safety and security of the American people first,” he said. “And the executive order that he put into effect was legal, it was appropriate and our administration is going to be using all legal means at our disposal to challenge the judge’s order.”

Trump’s latest comments on Robart aren’t the first time he’s tangled with a member of the judiciary. The real estate mogul stirred controversy in June when he suggested that a judge was incapable of presiding over a case involving Trump University because of his Mexican heritage. The claim was widely denounced by both Democrats and Republicans.