Mike Pence Reveals What He Mentioned to Donald Trump in First Dialog in 4 Years

Mike Pence has revealed what his first phrases have been to Donald Trump after they reunited this week after beforehand stating that he and the president-elect had not spoken for 4 years.

Trump, 78, and his former vice chairman, 65, made headlines after they each attended the state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Jan. 9, marking the primary time that they had seen one another since 2021. When Trump and his spouse Melania arrived, Pence stood up from the row behind and was photographed extending his hand to Trump for a handshake. The pair exchanged a number of phrases in the course of the transient interplay.

In an interview with Christianity At this time, Pence shared that he congratulated Trump on his win within the November presidential election.

“He greeted me when he got here down the aisle. I stood up, prolonged my hand. He shook my hand. I mentioned, ‘Congratulations, Mr. President,’ and he mentioned, ‘Thanks, Mike,’ ” Pence recalled to the outlet.

Pence additionally addressed his spouse Karen, 68, apparently staring straight forward and declining to acknowledge Trump and Melania in a seemingly tense second that was caught on tape.

“You’d must ask my spouse about her posture, however we’ve been married 44 years, and he or she loves her husband, and her husband respects her deeply,” Pence informed the outlet.

The previous Indiana governor added that he “welcomed” the chance to speak to Trump.

“The chance to talk to the president yesterday is one thing that I appreciated, I welcomed,” he mentioned. “I’ve actually been blessed at how a lot I’ve heard from individuals across the nation who noticed [our] handshake, and in that handshake, noticed some hope that we is perhaps shifting previous these troublesome days. That’s actually my hope.”

By no means miss a narrative — join PEOPLE’s free every day e-newsletter to remain up-to-date on one of the best of what PEOPLE has to supply​​, from movie star information to driving human curiosity tales.

The longstanding rift between Trump and Pence dates again to the Jan 6. Capitol riots in 2021. After Joe Biden defeated Trump within the 2020 election, Pence knowledgeable each Trump and the general public that he didn’t have the constitutional energy to intervene within the electoral course of, resulting in the riots.

In accordance with stories on the time, some members of the mob chanted, “Hold Mike Pence!” and Pence, his spouse, their daughter Charlotte Pence Bond and workers members hid from the rioters with the assistance of Secret Service brokers.

In 2023, Pence mentioned that “[Trump’s] reckless phrases endangered my household and everybody on the Capitol that day.” He added, “I do know historical past will maintain Donald Trump accountable.”

Pence beforehand mentioned throughout an interview on Fox Information in January 2022 that he and Trump had not spoken for the reason that earlier summer season.

“We talked final summer season,” he informed host Jesse Watters on the time. “And you recognize I’ve mentioned many occasions, it was troublesome, Jan. 6 was troublesome. It was a tragic day within the lifetime of the nation.”

He continued: “I do know I did my obligation below the Structure of america, however the president and I sat down within the days that adopted that, we spoke about it, talked by it, we parted amicably.”