Clay Travis lashes out at 'disrespectful' Mike Pence in tense interview on question of pardoning Trump

Conservative radio host Clay Travis called former Vice President Mike Pence "pretty disrespectful" to his old boss in a tense interview Wednesday about whether the Republican presidential candidate would pardon Donald Trump if elected president.

Travis, who along with co-host Buck Sexton has said the federal prosecution of Trump for mishandling classified documents is politicized, challenged Pence to directly answer if he would pardon Trump as a matter of principle. 

"These are serious charges," Pence said. "I can't defend what's been alleged, but the president does deserve to make his defense."

Pence said the pardoning authority is an "enormously important" power for someone in an executive position, calling the idea of a pardon premature, but the founder of "OutKick" wasn't pleased.

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"I think as a matter of principle, if you believe… Donald Trump is being prosecuted to a large extent for political-based reasons, something that has never happened in the 240-plus year history of the United States, that we are setting an awful precedent here," Travis said.

"To me, what is gained by allowing Donald Trump to be put in prison in the event he was convicted? We lose infinitely more by not just taking a principled stand and saying as a matter of principle, this shouldn't happen," he added. "With all due respect, when you aren't telling us what your decision would be, I think you're dodging the question, and frankly, not stepping up on the front of leadership, which in the past you've been willing to do. To me, not answering is a no."

Pence shot back, "I don't think you know what the president's defense is, do you?"

Pence said we either believe in the judicial process or not, but Travis cut in, saying, "What I'm hearing is you're fine with Donald Trump being put in prison, sir."

"That to me, since you were his vice president, feels pretty disrespectful," Travis said.

Pence said he wouldn't engage in hypotheticals and repeated Trump was entitled to make his defense, but Travis interrupted saying it shouldn't be difficult to respond to his question if Pence felt the charges were political. 

Sexton cut in as the exchange continued, as Pence said that pre-judging the investigation into Trump, as well as President Biden for his potential mishandling of classified material, was premature.

In a departure from other candidates in the GOP 2024 field, Pence has called the indictment of Trump "troubling" but also said no one is above the law. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has called on his fellow candidates to commit to pardoning Trump once they're in office.

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The relationship between Trump and Pence has fractured since they were defeated in 2020. Pence has publicly criticized Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, saying he endangered Pence and his family with his actions. In his Iowa launch speech last week, Pence said Trump put himself before the Constitution.

Trump was indicted on 37 federal counts, including willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements. The first-ever president to be so charged, he pleaded not guilty on Tuesday and gave a defiant speech to supporters in Bedminster, N.J., calling the case "the most heinous abuse of power in the history of our country."

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