Former vice President, Mike Pence. Thank you so much for joining us today. Good to be with you. Thank you. Well, we will start with the elephant in the room. You've spent lots of time in Iowa. You've hinted at *** possible run for the presidency and last time you were here last month, you said that any serious contender needs to get into the race by the end of June. Have you made *** decision even if you're not ready to announce? Have you made *** decision on whether or not you'll run for president? Well, we don't have anything to announce today in Iowa, but I will tell you that we've had an awful lot of encouragement, not just in this trip, but as we've traveled around the country, look, I, I, I think this country is in *** lot of trouble. Uh And I'm hearing from people that long to see us return to the policies that we were advancing, that had the American economy, growing, strengthened our military, secured our border, stood by our liberties and our values. But I, I also hear *** real desire for new leadership leadership that would maybe restore *** threshold of civility in public life. And I'm always humbled that people associate my approach to politics with that. So we're, we're listening and I promise you that before the Fourth of July is here that you'll know what our intentions are here in Iowa and across the country. So it could be past the end of June. No, I, I, I really do believe that anyone that's serious about pursuing the Republican nomination for president should make their intentions known before the end of June. And I'm confident the people of Iowa will know what Karen and I believe our calling is before then and I promise to keep you posted, is that most of it for you? I know when we've talked about this before, you've mentioned that you're listening and you want to take time to listen to the people of Iowa and the rest of the country. But what are the things that you're still figuring out? Is it prayer? Is it *** calling? Is it, are there unanswered questions that you still need to figure out before you make *** decision? Well, I, I, I would tell you, I think, I think we have *** clear sense of our calling and while we're not, we're not, we're not prepared to make any announcement at this time. Uh I, I've just been deeply moved uh as, as people, look at my career, not just as vice president, but as uh as governor of *** state that works *** state that balanced budgets and expanded educational choice and stood for the sanctity of life. And my years in Congress when we sometimes took on leaders of our own party battling to, to stop runaway spending in both political parties. And so we're, we've been very moved by that, very moved by the confidence that's been expressed in us. And in the days ahead, I promise to let you know what, what our plans will be. And but in the meantime, it's just, it's frankly always great to be back in Iowa talking about Iowa. If you were announced to announce *** presidential run, what role would Iowa play in your campaign? Well, look, uh Iowa is first in the nation, Iowa has always played an outsized role in, in shaping uh the leadership of both political parties. Uh Sadly, that, that won't be true in this election. And I think that's *** great loss for the Democratic Party. I think Iowa, like, I think my home state of Indiana really is the heart of the Heartland, good, hard working people that represent the very best of this country that, that understand the broad range of this economy, both in the city and on the farm. And, and also my sense of Iowa is that the people of Iowa take that responsibility to heart. And I'm very confident that Iowa is once again, are going to do their part, they're going to choose the right standard bearer for our party and set our party on *** path to victory in 2024. Right now, the current front runner for the GOP nomination, your former running mate, former president Donald Trump, you served alongside him for four years. So when people think about who you are and they associate you with the Trump administration, how do you set yourself apart from Donald Trump? Well, if we were to enter the campaign for the Republican nomination, you know, I would begin by saying, I'm very proud of the record of our administration, historic tax cuts, historic investments in our armed forces. We secured our border, we reduced illegal immigration by 90%. We appointed Conservatives to our courts. We gave America *** new beginning for the right to life with three appointments to the Supreme Court of the United States. But the elections are always about the future. And for my part, I believe America is the leader of the free world. We need to continue to be the arsenal of democracy. We need to continue to provide support for the courageous Ukrainian military until they repel the Russian invasion. My former running mate has taken *** different view of that and on that, we would differ. I also hold the view that one of the great challenges in this generation is that we have *** national debt, the size of our nation's economy for the first time since world war two. Now Joe Biden's policy is insolvency. He, he says that we won't even talk about reforming Social Security and Medicare for even younger Americans. And, and even though those programs are 70% of federal spending and you know, I, I became *** grandfather three times over in the last two years. I, I just can't look at those three beautiful little granddaughters and say to them, this national debt is your problem. I think we need to produce leadership in this country that will be straight with the American people about the debt crisis that we're facing now and in the future and of offer common sense reforms that will preserve social security and Medicare for younger Americans and keep our promises to seniors. I know that Joe Biden's policies. We're not even going to talk about it and my old running mate has taken the same position, Joe Biden has. I think the American people deserve better and should I become *** candidate for president? We'll be drawing, we'll be drawing that contrast on policies at home and abroad. Talking *** little bit more about if you choose to run for president and talking about that here in Iowa, *** very significant, large group of Iowa Republicans are Iowa evangelicals. They played *** large role in 2016. In 2016, Iowa evangelicals made up almost two thirds of Republican caucus goers here in Iowa. But the latest Des Moines register poll granted, it's in March. It's the latest one. It shows that nearly 40% of Iowa evangelicals view you unfavorably. How do you plan to change the minds of that group of people? You know, one of the things I've learned in the last two years is that I'm well known, but I'm not known. Well, I mean, people in Indiana know me as *** conservative congressman fighting for fiscal discipline and traditional values serving in Republican leadership in the House. The first time we defeated Nancy Pelosi. They also know me as *** governor, as *** chief executive that balanced budgets, cut taxes, set record employment in Indiana and expanded educational choice, doubling the program that we had founded in our state years earlier. They knew that we'd taken strong stands for life and religious liberty. But I, I accept that most Americans just know me as vice president and you know, I was always loyal to President Donald Trump. I understood the role of the vice president was to stand beside the president and to support the policies of the administration where the president and I had *** difference. I would share them with him in private, but ultimately respect his decision. And until the end of the administration, there was no public difference between us. But in that sense, I, I, I think people, most Americans see me in that role as vice president and *** loyal lieutenant. Um and uh uh I, I expect should we become *** candidate for the Republican nomination? We'll have *** chance for people to learn about all of our background, all of our experiences and um, and, and the vision and the values that have driven us through public life. Well, I, I wish him well, it's *** free country. And I, I have to tell you that one of the great privileges that I had in my life was serving as governor of Indiana. But also even during the difficult days, early days of the COVID pandemic, when I worked with all 50 governors around the country, literally every single week in trying to implement policies that would make sure that our families and our businesses and our health care workers were able to see their way through that. So I welcome any governor in America into this debate. I welcome other leaders into this debate. And as I said, I wish him and Casey Casey. Well, Santi has seemingly also pitched himself as *** new direction for the Republican Party as seemingly the best alternative to Donald Trump. How would you differentiate yourself from someone like Rhonda Santis? Well, I think if I became *** candidate, I think that'd be up to voters. It's *** privilege for me to have served in leadership in the Congress, served for 12 years. Um I, I know members of the House of Senate, uh I know how to get things done. We got an awful lot done in those first two years that we had Republican majorities in the House and Senate. I've been *** governor. I understand how state government works. But I also had the great privilege of uh of participating in the foreign policy of our country, traveling our world and representing the United States. And should we become *** candidate? We will certainly reflect on all of the experience because I do think the challenges that our country is facing today, call for experience. We've got to bring our very best effort. Joe Biden has literally weakened America at home and abroad from the disastrous withdrawal in Afghanistan. The capitulation to Iran. I think it's emboldened the enemies of freedom around the world. And here at home, runaway spending has launched the worst inflation in 40 years. Their policies set forth the worst border crisis, our nation has ever experienced. Gasoline prices had gone through the roof from their war on energy and all of that. I truly do believe calls for men and women of experience who are able to step forward and turn this country around. But the great news is one of the things we proved in the early days of our administration was when you have those Republican majorities and when you have *** clear vision, let people keep more of what they earn, secure our border support, our military appoint conservatives to our courts. America comes roaring back and I believe it will again soon. I want to turn to talk to you *** little bit about January 6th. I know it's something that you have written about in your book, you've talked about in countless interviews and you've acknowledged the dangers that you potentially could have faced that day, that there were rioters that were chanting hang Mike Pence. But I want to talk to you about comments from former president Donald Trump made just *** few weeks ago at *** CNN town hall. He said it was *** beautiful day. He maintains that, what's your response to that? January 6th was not *** beautiful day. It was *** tragic day. But thanks to the courage of law enforcement, the riot was quelled and we reconvened the House and the Senate on the very same day and we completed our work under the Constitution of the United States. And I'll, I'll always believe that we did our duty that day under the constitution. Now, that's not to say I didn't, I didn't share the concern of millions of Americans about irregularities in the election. I fully supported all the lawsuits that, that, that raised those issues in the courts in the country. But once Iowa, once Indiana, once every state in the country had certified the results of the election, I believe the duty of the Congress was clear. And as I said by God's grace with my family at my side that day, I'll always believe that we did our duty. There was one Iowa man, Doug Jensen who was seen on video walking through the US Capitol leading rioters just *** throwing distance away from you. Your own security detail testified against Jensen in court if you had the opportunity to talk to Doug Jensen or any of the seven other Iowans who were charged for their actions on that day. What would you tell them? I believe in due process of law. I said that day in *** Twitter statement that the violence needed to stop and people needed to leave the capital and that those who failed to do so should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. And I still believe that look what what happened on on January 6th was uh was tragic and we can never allow it to happen again. I mean, to think that in the very citadel of our democracy, we saw the kind of rioting and violence and vandalism that we saw is just utterly unacceptable. Now, I stand by the due process rights of every American, the right to make their own case in court. And in my heart, I'm *** forgiving man, but I do believe that it's important that the people that engaged in violence, particularly against law enforcement officers be held to account in the law. During your latest trip to Des Moines, you spent some time at Des Moines, Christian schools. You've been an ardent supporter of school choice policies, Iowa just passed one. What's your suggestion at *** federal level? Should there be any sort of policy encouraging school choice nationwide? Well, let me let me say I couldn't be more proud of, of uh Governor Kim Reynolds and the Republicans in the state legislature for making history and extending educational choice to every family in this state. And I believe it's, it's going to change education for generations. And I think it's going to strengthen private education and public schools. You know, here in America, we understand that competition makes everybody better. And I think that now that Indiana, Iowa, Arizona, other states around the country are expanding school choice to every family, regardless of income. And area code is truly historic with regard to the federal government's role. I will tell you candidly, I'm someone who believes the federal Department of Education should be closed down. We ought to block grant all of those federal resources back to the states to promote exactly the kind of education innovation. I mean, education is *** state and local function and under the 10th amendment of the constitution, uh those, those powers that are not literally given to the federal government are reserved to the States. And I, I'll always hold the view that when it comes to education, when it comes to public safety, we need to preserve the state's rights and abilities to innovate. And so I'll continue to hold that view. But if I'm ever working in Washington DC again, you bet. So long as there's *** federal Department of Education, we'll do our part to try and encourage policies that will promote more educational and parental choice here in Iowa and all across the country. Mr Vice President. I appreciate you spending time and talking with us today. Thank you so much. Good to see you again.