GOP Candidates: Mike Pence Visits Georgetown

Photo Via GU Politics

MAGGIE YANG: On October 3, 2023, Former Vice President Mike Pence visited Georgetown to have a conversation about American national security and foreign policy issues with Associated Press reporter Meg Kinnard in Gaston Hall. During the hour-long event, Pence addressed Georgetown University students’ questions on his campaign views as well as students joining virtually from Iowa State University, Clemson University and the University of New Hampshire. 

The conversation, co-hosted by Georgetown’s Institute of Politics and Public Service and The Associated Press, was the first of a series of talks with 2024 GOP presidential candidates on national security and foreign policy. Recent polls from FiveThirtyEight show that only 28 percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of Pence, while a 59 percent majority views him unfavorably. In the Republican primary, Pence polls at an average of 4.4 percent, while frontrunner Donald Trump boasts 58 percent. 

“We did not bring him here to give him a platform to share his worldview with you. We brought him here to give all of you a platform to ask him whatever questions you want,” said the Institute’s founding director, Mo Elleithee, addressing students as they submitted questions for Pence via an online form.

Pence repeatedly called for the necessity of “new leadership” in upholding the economic and political superiority that protects the U.S. in the international world. He criticized the Biden administration’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, likening it to a display of weakness in the country’s military standing. 

In regards to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that has displaced thousands of refugees, Pence asserted that he would establish peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan as President by engaging U.S. resources in a way that would prioritize American resources and values. 

“America is the leader of the free world. If we’re not leading the free world, the free world is not being led,” he told the audience.

Asserting that “peace comes through strength,” Pence emphasized that the U.S. must continue to establish its reputation as the most powerful military in the world in order to confront the strategic threats and deter military ambitions of major powers, such as China.

Describing China as the “greatest economic strength and threat that the U.S. faces in the twenty-first century,” Pence contended that the U.S. government should leverage the American economy to challenge intellectual property theft and human rights abuses associated with China. 

By “bringing China to the table,” the U.S. can continue to defend its economic and military interests around the world, while simultaneously fostering productive cooperation with the Chinese government.

An August 2023 Brookings Institution poll revealed that only 28 percent of Republicans support additional aid to Ukraine. Despite this, Pence has remained in support of U.S. funding towards Ukraine against Russia—a view that contributes to his unpopularity among other GOP candidates.

Pence contended that responding to Chinese foreign policy is “inextricably linked” to dealing with the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Chinese President Xi Jinping has remained an “unlimited partner” to Russia, Pence pointed out, despite Russia’s prevalent war crimes in the ongoing war.

Throughout the conversation, Pence brought forth the interconnectedness of modern international conflicts—and the most effective methods to address them. “The most effective way to check China’s ambitions in the Asia-Pacific is for the United States and the Western world to stand strong with the military in Ukraine,” Pence said. 

Upon Pence’s support for using American strength to defend its economy and its interests “wherever they are challenged in the world,” Kinnard asked whether Pence’s administration would shift U.S. approach towards foreign policy from strategic ambiguity to strategic clarity.

“I’m someone who believes that you never tell the enemy what you’ll never do,” Pence responded, explaining that to openly clarify U.S. defense of Taiwan—namely in favor of benefitting from Taiwan’s microchip industry—would “[flash] a green light for China to move on Taiwan.” Instead, U.S. foreign policy should focus on developing Taiwan’s ability to defend itself, as well as ensure that allies in the region are prepared to “see to the interests of free nations.” 

In light of commotion in Congress surrounding former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Kinnard also questioned Pence’s plans to unite the divided voices in the Republican Party to accomplish his administration’s goals. Pence described the situation as a “handful of Republicans partnering with Democrats in Congress to create chaos,” calling for leadership in the country that is “focused on what the American people are focused on.”

Just thirty minutes later, Kinnard broke the news that McCarthy had been removed as Speaker of the House. Pence expressed that he was “deeply disappointed” in the eight Republican representatives who had voted to oust McCarthy, stating that “chaos is never America’s friend.”

As the U.S. navigates challenges both domestically and abroad, Pence has indicated a strong confidence in his ability to uphold America’s role as the leader of the free world through his foreign policy expertise, if elected as President in 2024.

Maggie Yang is a staff writer for On the Record. She is a freshman in the School of Foreign Service pursuing Regional Studies in Asia. Maggie is interested in international security and US-China relations.