Mike Pence takes an extraordinary swipe at Trump in a sign of his desire to return to politics

Former Vice President Mike Pence this week laid out his vision for a winning Republican manifesto, calling on party candidates to embrace a traditional conservative platform that rejects “protectionist tariffs” and “isolationism” while recommitting to anti-abortion positions.

Nowhere does he mention Donald Trump.

But Trumpism is the clear target of his attack in an op-ed that has sparked speculation that he is preparing for a return to politics if his former boss loses the November election.

“From both an ideological and pragmatic perspective, the wise choice for Republican candidates would be to stay the course we started in 2017,” he wrote in the paper. Wall Street Journal.

“As Republicans approach the final stages of these elections, they must pledge to bring peace through strength, not through isolationism and abandonment of American leadership.

“Republicans must pledge to make better trade deals that increase prosperity, not protectionist tariffs that make products more expensive.”

Trump has made tariffs the core of his economic program, using them in an effort to punish adversaries like China, bring manufacturing back to the US and increase revenues.

However, economists warn that it will be US importers who will be saddled with the bills and will simply pass the costs on to consumers.

And he takes aim at other parts of Trump’s manifesto and areas like abortion, where he made a mistake.

“Republicans must commit to addressing the growing debt that threatens to bankrupt the country and pledge to pass responsible budgets that fix America’s failed entitlement programs before they collapse,” he wrote.

“Republicans must unapologetically recommit to the pro-life cause, which remains the great moral calling of our time and the issue that has animated the party for more than half a century.”

Pence served as Trump’s loyal vice president for four years before falling out over Trump’s attempts to illegally cling to power after losing the 2024 election.

For now, Pence is out of step with the populist, Trumpist direction of the Republican Party. But that could change if Trump loses in November

Pence launched his presidential run with his wife Karen last June. He quit after three months as his campaign struggled to gain momentum

With much of the Republican Party in the grip of the MAGA movement, Pence has fallen from favor.

He ended his own presidential run last October after never gaining any traction.

But allies believe it is only a matter of time before he returns to prominence.

“There is room for his voice and the voices of others for this reason: Our party right now is primarily a political coalition seeking a clear policy agenda,” said Senator Todd Young of Indiana. Semafor.

“At some point, we’re going to have to focus on a clear policy agenda… And Mike Pence is very well equipped to do that.”

Pence has occasionally criticized his former boss, including earlier this year when he accused him of backing away from his anti-abortion stance.

For now, he’s quietly working on policy, popping up occasionally to criticize Trump for abandoning some of their administration’s conservative priorities.

Much of his focus is on his group Advancing American Freedom, which develops conservative policies.

Pence’s longtime adviser Marc Short said it was essential work.

“The Republican Party has increasingly embraced populism as they have moved away from familiar conservative, free-market principles,” he wrote on X.

“The party still needs these conservative core values ​​today and beyond.”