Word of an armistice emerged from Vice President Mike Pence’s first discussion with President Trump since the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol last week.
Multiple media outlets cited a senior administration official who said that they had a “good” conversation Monday evening in the Oval Office, suggesting that the pair have patched things up, for now, after Trump said Pence lacked “courage” for not trying to contest the election results over claims of voter fraud as the siege of Congress was underway.
Pence was presiding over a joint session of Congress when lawmakers, working to affirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, evacuated and took shelter for hours on Wednesday as hundreds of people broke past law enforcement into the building after Trump urged a crowd at a nearby “Stop the Steal” rally to march to the U.S. Capitol. Hours later, just before 4 a.m., Pence read the final Electoral College vote tally, after which Trump committed to an “orderly transition” of power.
The official said Trump and Pence agreed to continue working for the “remainder of their term,” indicating that Pence will not pursue invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office despite pressure from congressional Democrats.
Still, an impeachment resolution was introduced on Monday that charges Trump with “incitement of insurrection,” and Democrats say a vote will take place on Wednesday.
