For years, Mike Pence was known for disciplined political loyalty and a public image shaped by faith, conservative principles, and his four years as Donald Trump’s vice president.
But in 2026, the former vice president has been speaking more openly about a subject that has defined much of his post-White House career: conscience.
In interviews surrounding his new book, What Conservatives Believe: Rediscovering the Conservative Conscience, Pence has argued that Republicans need to reconnect with traditional conservative principles rather than allowing political loyalty or populism to define the movement.
His message is striking partly because of where he is coming from.
Pence served alongside Trump during the first administration, yet he has increasingly positioned himself as a critic of what he considers the Republican Party’s drift away from traditional conservatism.
A Different Kind of Political Conversation
Pence’s recent comments have not centered on one dramatic personal confession.
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