Former Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday he could not defend the “very serious” allegations against former President Trump in a federal indictment over the handling of classified documents.
“Having read the indictment, these are very serious allegations. And I can’t defend what is alleged,” Pence said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal editorial board. “But the President is entitled to his day in court, he’s entitled to bring a defense, and I want to reserve judgment until he has the opportunity to respond.”
Pence noted that the indictment alleges the documents Trump refused to turn over after leaving office included materials pertaining to U.S. military vulnerabilities and its nuclear program.
“Even the inadvertent release of that kind of information could compromise our national security and the safety of our armed forces,” Pence said. “And, frankly, having two members of our immediate family serving in the armed forces of the United States, I will never diminish the importance of protecting our nation’s secrets.”
The former vice president, who is running against Trump for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, caveated that, “it’s hard for me to believe that politics didn’t play some role in this decision,” citing a Justice Department investigation into whether Trump’s 2016 campaign colluded with Russia that did not establish any coordination between the two sides.
Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday afternoon to charges on 37 counts from a Department of Justice indictment alleging he violated both the Espionage Act and obstructed justice in taking classified records from his presidency and refusing to return them.
Trump was indicted Thursday in connection with the investigation led by special counsel Jack Smith, with the unsealed charging document revealing Trump would also be facing charges on concealing documents and making false statements.
The indictment alleges Trump kept the documents in various rooms of his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, which frequently hosted large events and gatherings. It also alleges the former president on two separate occasions spoke about specific classified materials with staffers at his New Jersey club who did not have security clearances.
Pence, who is running well behind Trump in most GOP primary polls, had previously said he hoped the Justice Department would not move forward with an indictment, citing the likely divisions it would cause the country. He has since called for Attorney General Merrick Garland to explain the rationale behind the decision.
The former vice president was recently cleared of any wrongdoing by the Justice Department after a small number of classified documents were found at his Indiana residence in January. Pence’s team cooperated with law enforcement and turned the materials over upon their discovery.