Former Vice President Pence warned in a new essay that the conservative movement is being threatened by what he describes as “populist fervor” and the “transformation into the anti-woke movement.”
“An existential identity crisis now grips the American right,” Pence wrote in the essay, which was co-authored by a founder of the Heritage Foundation conservative think tank. “A political movement once united by a commitment to limited government, moral order, and a robust defense of American ideals now appears fractured, its purpose clouded by populist grievances and ideological drift.”
“The question for today’s conservatives is clear: Will we remain a party of enduring principles, or will we succumb to populism unmoored from conservative ideals?” he added.
Pence, whose relationship with President Trump crumbled after the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, did not identify Trump as the force behind his grievances with the current state of conservativism, but he detailed several issues of concern that resemble policies of the second Trump presidency.
He wrote in the 4,200-word piece against adopting universal baseline tariff policies, lessening support for Ukraine, focusing too much on anti-woke endeavors and using “government power to steer corporate behavior.”
Trump adopted a baseline tariff strategy in April that applied to most countries including American allies; repeatedly questioned support for Ukraine; and pressured companies to drop diversity, equity and inclusion policies and since his return to the White House in January.
Pence framed each of those issues as populist priorities that are not rooted in conservatism.
“Populist policies that seek to dismantle perceived enemies without regard for long-term consequences risk undermining the very order they claim to advocate,” he wrote. “Whether it be tariffs that alienate allies, regulatory overreach for the sake of punishing progressive firms, or isolationism that leaves the world’s despots unchecked, these approaches are the antithesis of … careful, measured conservatism.”
Pence took aim in the article at the “Democratic Party’s efforts to banish common sense,” but he argued that the response has led the right astray from its conservative principles.
“Though subtle at first, the consequences of the conservative movement’s transformation into the anti-woke movement have steadily accumulated,” he wrote. “By the time Donald Trump won his second term, much post-election analysis correctly framed his victory not as a triumph of conservative ideals, but as a mere repudiation of a decadent and debauched Democratic Party.”
“While such opposition can attract allies and can even win elections when Republicans are out of power, it cannot serve as a movement’s moral foundation. Conservatism cannot be defined solely by what it isn’t,” he added.
The White House rejected the characterizations in Pence’s piece.
“President Trump’s dominance in the GOP primary and general election is proof that Americans have firmly embraced the America First movement and resoundingly rejected the career politicians who have devastated Main Street prosperity, unleashed global chaos, corrupted our institutions and eroded our values,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement to The Hill.
Pence, who has himself lambasted so-called “woke-ism” in speeches since leaving office, briefly sought the GOP presidential nomination in 2024 but gained little traction before dropping out of the race.
The former Indiana governor said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” last month that he doubted he would run for the White House again but would advocate for “conservative values.”
“I want to be a voice for the policies and liberties enshrined in the Constitution of the United States,” Pence said. “I want to be a champion of the conservative cause, and that’s where I’ll stay focused, and we’ll let the future take care of itself.”