'Inexcusable': Mike Pence condemns Trump's statements after being pressed by CNN host

Former Vice President Mike Pence condemned former President Donald Trump over his comments calling for former Joint Chiefs Chair Mark Milley to be put to death, in an interview on CNN with Kaitlan Collins Friday.

However, Pence, who is running against Trump for president in 2024, stopped short of answering many of Collins' more pressing questions about Trump's fitness for office.

"I'll just say clearly — vice president, clearly Trump thought he was referring to him because he responded to that after, calling General Milley a moron," said Collins. "He added that the man he picked to be Defense Secretary, Mark Esper, called him a, quote, 'woke fool.' Obviously this is after what you referenced there. Trump implied that General Milley should be executed for treason. Are those comments beyond the pale, in your view?"

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"As I said, his earlier comments regarding General Milley were inexcusable and really have no place in the public debate," said Pence. "But I think it's one of the reasons why, despite what some of the national polls may show, I think Republican primary voters know that we need new leadership, not just in the White House, but in the Republican Party. And that's why I'll be back in Iowa first thing in the morning, and we're going to continue to take our case of a commitment of that broad-based conservative agenda that's defined our movement for years. But also, you know, I was inspired by Ronald Reagan to become a Republican and it was his conservative agenda, it was his optimism, and it was his civility, I think, that made it possible for him to lead an administration that revived the country."

"You talk about civility at length and you said, you think Republican voters know. Do they?" asked Collins. "Right now, Trump is running away with the race. Lately he has called for the parent company of a news network to be investigated for treason. He's vowing retribution if he wins. He's saying he will go after and target his political opponents. With comments like that, do you believe that he is a threat if he returns to the Oval Office?"

"Look, I — you know, I spent four years trying to explain Donald Trump's words, and I'm out of that business now, Kaitlan," said Pence.

Watch the video below or at the link here.

Pence condemns Trump's attacks on General Mark Milleywww.youtube.com