周六晚,副总统迈克·彭斯在接受福克斯电视台主持人珍妮·皮罗采访时,驳斥了唐纳德·特朗普总统可能取代他参加2020年连任竞选的谣言。
在她身上彭斯访谈皮罗引用了前共和党战略家史蒂夫·施密特最近的言论,他于2018年因反对特朗普而退出共和党。施密特上月表示,总统极有可能用前驻联合国大使和前南卡罗来纳州州长妮基·黑利取代彭斯。
皮尔洛要求副总统对谣言做出回应。
彭斯说:“你知道,我非常自豪能和唐纳德·特朗普总统一起成为副总统。”。“我很荣幸他邀请我再次和他一起跑步。”
11月26日,佛罗里达州日出市,在BB&T中心举行的返校节竞选集会上,唐纳德·特朗普总统和迈克·彭斯副总统站在一起
“你和他谈过[·特朗普]这件事吗?”皮罗问道。
“哦,很多次了。他已经公开谈到这一点,”副总统回答说,他曾担任印第安纳州州长。"他私下说了他在公开场合说的话,我对此感到惭愧。"
彭斯接着说,他“不仅相信”自己会入围2020年,而且“相信我们会在2020年获胜”。他解释说,他生活中的主要抱负是成为代表印第安纳州的国会议员,这表明他已经远远超出了自己的目标,治理了自己的州,然后成为了副总统。
谣言已经流传了一年多特朗普可能会取代彭斯,作为2020年连任战略的一部分。被吹捧为潜在替代者的主要名字是海莉,分析人士建议她将吸引更多女性选民支持总统。当特朗普和海莉在2018年10月一起宣布她将于年底辞去美国驻联合国最高外交官的职务时,这种猜测持续存在。
然而,海莉在公告期间确认这不是故意的。从那以后,总统和他的前任大使一直否认谣言。
2018年10月9日,唐纳德·特朗普总统在华盛顿特区白宫椭圆形办公室会见美国驻联合国大使妮基·黑利
11月,特朗普告诉福克斯新闻早间节目《福克斯和朋友们》那个便士是“一个伟大的副总统”,平息了谣言。然而,他也高度评价海莉,说她“绝对”会参与他2020年的竞选。
“她是我的一个朋友,她用你听过的最美丽的背书支持了我。她在联合国做得很好,”总统说。
海莉上个月在接受福克斯新闻采访时还表示,这些谣言“没有任何真实性”。
“我会告诉你,副总统的事情还在继续,真是令人惊讶,”她说。“副总统和总统是一对很好的搭档。它们是实心的。足够牢固,他们会一起赢。”
VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE DISPELS TALK ABOUT BEING REPLACED AS TRUMP'S RUNNING MATE FOR 2020
Vice President Mike Pence dismissed rumors that President Donald Trump may replace him on the 2020 re-election ticket in an interview with Fox News host Jeanine Pirro on Saturday evening.
In her interview with Pence, Pirro cited recent remarks from former Republican strategist Steve Schmidt, who withdrew from the GOP in 2018 over his opposition to Trump. Schmidt said last month that there is an "overwhelming chance" that the president could replace Pence with former Ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
Pirro asked the vice president to respond to the rumor.
"You know, I couldn't be more proud to be vice president alongside President Donald Trump," Pence said. "And I'm honored that he's asked me to run with him again."
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence stand together during a homecoming campaign rally at the BB&T Center on November 26 in Sunrise, Florida
"You've spoke to him [Trump] about this?" Pirro asked.
"Oh, many times. And he's spoken about it publicly," the vice president, who formerly served as Indiana's governor, replied. "He said privately what he said publicly, and I'm humbled by that."
Pence went on to say that he was "not only confident" that he'd be on the 2020 ticket, but that he was also "confident that we're going to win in 2020." He explained that his main ambition in life had been to be the congressman representing his Indiana district, suggesting that he'd already far exceeded his goals by governing his state and then becoming vice president.
Rumors have circulated for more than a year that Trump could replace Pence as part of a reelection strategy in 2020. The main name touted as a potential replacement has been Haley, with analysts suggesting she would draw more women voters to support the president. When Trump and Haley announced together in October 2018 that she'd be stepping down from her role as the top U.S. diplomat to the U.N. at the end of the year, the speculation persisted.
However, Haley confirmed during that announcement that this was not the intention. Since then, the president and his former ambassador have consistently denied the rumors.
President Donald Trump meets with Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in the Oval office of the White House, on October 9, 2018 in Washington, D.C.
In November, Trump told Fox News morning show Fox & Friends that Pence was "a great vice president," shooting down the rumors. He also spoke highly of Haley, however, saying she would "absolutely" be involved in his 2020 campaign.
"She is a friend of mine, she endorsed me with the most beautiful endorsement you've ever heard. She did a great job at the U.N.," the president said.
Haley also said last month in an interview with Fox News that there was "no truth whatsoever" to the rumors.
"I will tell you, it's amazing how this vice president stuff still keeps coming up," she said. "The vice president and the president are a great ticket together. They're solid. Solid enough that they're going to win together."