RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) 鈥� Former Vice President Mike Pence spoke Monday in North Carolina against the to impose tariffs on trading partners worldwide 鈥� another effort that shows his willingness to split at times with his former boss.
The education arm of Pence鈥檚 political advocacy group kicked off in Raleigh a series of events nationwide that was also billed as building support to extend individual income tax reductions enacted by Trump and fellow Republicans in 2017 but set to expire at year鈥檚 end.
In a brief interview with The Associated Press, Pence praised congressional Republicans President Donald 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, saying 鈥渢here should be no higher domestic priority鈥� than making permanent the tax cuts passed in Trump's first term. But much of the meeting focused on Pence and key conservative business leaders in North Carolina opposing 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 recent tariff efforts.
Monday鈥檚 event marked another step by Pence to try to distinguish himself among the small group of Republicans in Washington willing to sought by the second Trump administration.
Pence and others said protectionism would ultimately harm the U.S. economy in the form of higher prices and employment losses.
鈥淚t is ultimately for the most part American consumers that will pay the price of higher tariffs,鈥� Pence said at the event assembled by Pence鈥檚 Advancing American Freedom Foundation and the Raleigh-based John Locke Foundation.
The massive 1,116-page budget bill, which also contains additional tax breaks that Trump campaigned for in the 2024 election 鈥� as well as spending reductions and beefed-up border security 鈥� initially late last week.
A handful of conservatives who voted against the bill want further cuts to Medicaid and green energy tax breaks. House Speaker Mike Johnson aims to send the bill to the Senate by Memorial Day. The bill cleared the committee in a rare Sunday night meeting, but Johnson told reporters afterward that negotiations were ongoing.
鈥淚鈥檓 encouraged,鈥� Pence told the AP after Monday's event. 鈥滻'm grateful that conservatives in the House have been pressing for more common sense reforms in Medicaid."
Three days ago, Moody鈥檚 Ratings mentioned the 2017 tax cuts as it stripped the citing the inability of policymakers to rein in debt.
Conservatives see the tax cuts as providing fuel for the economy while putting more money in taxpayers' pockets. Democrats say the wealthiest Americans benefit the most from them.
Pence told the AP the larger issue is the unwillingness of politicians to consider 鈥渃ommonsense, compassionate" entitlement reforms for Medicare and Social Security that would address the nation鈥檚 nearly $37 trillion of debt and 鈥渟et us back on a path of fiscal integrity.鈥�
Pence said at the roundtable that he鈥檚 proud of 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 first-term efforts to use the tariff threat to reach new free-trade agreements with trading partners. And Pence agreed that China is an exception for retaliatory tariffs, citing intellectual property theft and dumping products like steel onto world markets. But 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 second-term effort, seeming to make tariffs large and permanent, are very different and misguided, he said.
Trump has said broad tariffs on foreign goods are needed to narrow the gap with taxes other countries place on U.S. goods.
Trump said that countries "have to pay for the right to sell here,鈥� Pence said in recalling first-term conversations. 鈥淎ny time I鈥檇 remind him that actually it鈥檚 American importers that pay the tariff, he would look a little annoyed at me from time to time and say, 鈥業 know how it works.鈥� And then he鈥檇 say, 鈥榖ut they have to pay.鈥欌��
While the former Indiana governor and U.S. House member refused to break with Trump during their time serving together, the two had a falling out over his refusal to go along with efforts to remain in office after losing the 2020 election. Trump had tried to to reject election results from swing states where the Republican president falsely claimed the vote was marred by fraud.
A 2024 presidential campaign by Pence 鈥� and potentially against Trump 鈥� ended early. He committed to invigorating Advancing American Freedom by promoting conservative principles as 罢谤耻尘辫鈥檚 brand of populism has taken hold in the GOP.
Pence's group spent nearly $1 million on ads opposing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. And Pence also has spoken in favor of Trump standing long-standing .
Gary D. Robertson, The Associated Press
