Pence unleashes on Trump over Capitol riot: ‘His reckless words endangered my family’

Former Vice President Mike Pence unleashed his harshest criticism to date of his former boss Saturday night at an annual dinner with Washington insiders and journalists.

Mr. Pence accused former President Donald Trump of endangering his family during the attack on the U.S. Capitol by demanding he overturn the 2020 election results, calling the Jan. 6, 2021, riot a “disgrace.”

“President Trump was wrong,” Mr. Pence said in remarks at the white-tie Gridiron Dinner in the nation’s capital, according to The Associated Press. “I had no right to overturn the election. And his reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day, and I know history will hold Donald Trump accountable.”

Mr. Trump, who has declared his 2024 candidacy, had not publicly responded to the remarks, as of Sunday morning.

Mr. Pence is expected to launch a challenge for the Republican nomination but has not officially declared.

“Make no mistake about it, what happened that day was a disgrace,” Mr. Pence said. “And it mocks decency to portray it any other way.”