'Dolls are part of the American dream!' Mike Pence jabs Trump in new exclusive interview

Former Vice President Mike Pence took a subtle jab at his ex-boss, President Donald Trump, over tariffs and their impact on American families in an exclusive CNN interview.

The moment came Monday when CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins previewed her interview set to air in its entirety during her show, “The Source.” During one exchange, Collins pressed Pence about Trump administration arguments downplaying the impact of rising prices on consumer goods in the face of the MAGA leader’s aggressive tariff policy.

“One argument he's been making lately is that maybe children will have to make do with fewer toys, fewer dolls,” Collins said before asking: “Do you think the American people buy that argument?”

Pence pushed back, invoking his own family and experience as a consumer.

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“I have two grown daughters, I have three small granddaughters, and look, keeping dolls affordable, keeping our kids’ toys affordable, that really is part of the American dream,” he said. “I remember recently the secretary of the treasury said that cheap goods was not a part of the American dream. Well, I’m somebody who spent almost my entire life in public service, we lived on our paycheck while we raised three kids and put three kids through college, cheap goods are a big part of it.”

He added: “And I think we ought to be candid about that.”

Pence used his interview to criticize his former boss and told Collins that he had multiple conversations about tariffs with Trump during his time as vice president in the first administration.

“[He] also warned Jake about the hurt that this could cause to American consumers,” Collins told CNN’s Jake Tapper about Pence's thoughts on Trump's sweeping tariff policy. Those warnings included the former vice president’s fears that the tariffs could result in supply shortages, the potential for empty store shelves, and sticker shock for Americans, according to Collins.

“He was essentially saying, Jake, that he believes it will get so bad that the American people will demand a different path out of the White House, a change when it comes to the president's tariff policy,” she said. “Obviously, that remains to be seen.”

Watch the video below via CNN or at the link here: