Mike Pence Rebukes Trump Over Tariffs, Ukraine Policy in Sharpest Criticism Yet.

By Caroline Ameh

Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence issued a stern rebuke of Donald Trump’s economic and foreign policy on Monday, warning that the former president’s sweeping tariff agenda and wavering support for Ukraine risk harming the American economy and emboldening adversaries like Russia.

Speaking with journalists after receiving the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, Pence criticized Trump’s broad-based tariffs as “not a win for the American people,” predicting inflation, product shortages, and rising consumer frustration.

Trump’s controversial trade policy—reintroduced during his second term—includes a 90-day pause on most exports and a new round of tariffs affecting both allies and rivals. “Even the administration has conceded that there may be a price shock in the economy, and there may be shortages,” Pence said, citing a potential consumer backlash once the pause expires.

He dismissed Trump’s attempt to downplay the impact on American families—such as his recent remark that “kids might have two dolls instead of 30”—as out of touch. “Keeping our kids’ toys affordable: that really is part of the American dream,” Pence said. “I think the American people are going to see the consequences of this. I think they’ll demand a different approach.”

Pence also expressed alarm over Trump’s inconsistent stance on Ukraine, describing the administration’s wavering support as a dangerous signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin. “If the last three years teach us anything, it’s that Vladimir Putin doesn’t want peace; he wants Ukraine,” Pence said. “The wavering support the administration has shown over the last few months, I believe, has only emboldened Russia.”

The former vice president also criticized Trump’s decision earlier this year to pardon over 1,600 people convicted for their role in the January 6 Capitol riot. Pence, who refused Trump’s demands to overturn the 2020 election results, was targeted by rioters who chanted “hang Mike Pence” during the attack.

“I was deeply disappointed to see President Trump pardon people that engaged in violence against law enforcement officers that day,” he said.

Trump’s stance on foreign allies also drew fire from Pence, particularly after the president suggested Canada—long a close partner of the United States—could become the “51st state.” Pence rejected the idea outright, calling Canada “a great ally, whose soldiers have fought and died alongside Americans in every war since World War I.”

Pence, who has increasingly distanced himself from the man he once served under, has not ruled out future political ambitions but remains a vocal advocate for what he calls “principled conservatism.”

His latest remarks underscore growing divisions within the Republican Party, as Trump’s second-term policies face scrutiny from both moderates and traditional conservatives.