Mike Pence Goes Off on Trump Following GOP's Midterm Loss — 5 Years After January 6 Chaos Sparked Major Feud Between Prez and Ex-Veep
Mike Pence calls out Trump's alleged corruption as a reason for GOP midterm losses.
Nov. 13 2026, Published 11:44 a.m. ET
Former Vice President Mike Pence blamed President Donald Trump's policies and what he described as an "air of corruption" for Republicans' sweeping midterm election losses, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Pence also accused Trump of abandoning conservative principles nearly six years after their relationship fractured over the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Pence Blames Trump
Pence calls the midterms a 'reckoning.'
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Pence argued that Republicans lost control of Congress because voters rejected the direction Trump had taken the party.
"The Republican defeat in these midterm elections wasn't just a rout. It was a reckoning," Pence said. "I believe our voters rejected President Trump's redirection of our movement toward protectionist tariffs, toward policies of appeasement toward Russia and even Iran, toward marginalizing the right to life."
Concerns About Trump Family Wealth
Pence claimed there was an 'air of corruption' surrounding the Trump administration.
Pence criticized the administration's economic agenda and accused Trump of allowing his family's financial interests to raise questions about ethics.
"I also don't think you can ignore the air of corruption that's emerged around this administration, the self-dealing," Pence said.
He claimed the Trump family's wealth had increased by more than $3billion, including over $1billion connected to cryptocurrency.
"I truly do believe the American people didn't turn left. They were turned off," Pence added.
Vance Blames Iran War
Vance singled out the Iran War as the biggest reason for the party's defeat.
Following Republicans' sweeping losses in the Nov. 3 midterms, Vice President J.D. Vance argued that the war with Iran was largely responsible for the party's defeat.
"The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night," Vance wrote on X. "If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so," he continued. "Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay."
Vance maintained that Republican turnout was not the primary problem, arguing that many Americans who supported Trump in 2024 had voted for Democrats instead.
He identified four priorities for winning back those voters: ending the Iran war, addressing inflation, putting America first and changing the United States' relationship with Israel.
Pence Disputes Vance's Claims
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Pence pushed back against Vance's conclusion on the midterms.
Pence challenged Vance's argument that the Iran war was responsible for Democratic wins in the midterms.
"There's no question that the war in Iran became a frustration for millions of Americans, but it wasn't because President Trump started the war or took on Iran," Pence said. "It's because we stopped short and didn't finish it."
