Trump’s ex-Vice Vice Pence summoned by special counsel Biden has “not yet made a final decision” on a new candidacy

The special counsel for the investigation of former US President Donald Trump is said to have summoned his former deputy Mike Pence. Pence would have to make a statement and documents had also been requested, several US media reported Thursday evening (local time). It remained unclear exactly when the summons should have taken place. The US Justice Department appointed Special Counsel Jack Smith in November to oversee the Trump investigation.

On the one hand, Smith has to deal with the investigations into secret government documents that Trump kept in his private residence Mar-a-Lago after he left. On the other hand, the special investigator should take care of the investigation of the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. That’s what Pence’s subpoena is about, according to CNN. The special counsel is particularly interested in the exchange of views between Trump and Pence about the riots. Pence could claim executive privilege – the government’s privilege to keep certain information secret.

Trump supporters had stormed the seat of parliament in Washington more than two years ago. Congress met there to formally confirm the election victory of Trump’s Democratic challenger Joe Biden. The violent mob wanted to prevent that. At the time, Pence was presiding over the congressional session in his role as vice president — legally a purely ceremonial job, but previously Trump had openly called on his vice president to block the proceedings.

Pence served as Vice President of Trump from 2017 to 2021. It is widely believed that Pence wants to run as the Republican presidential candidate in the 2024 election. However, he would first have to assert himself in the internal party primaries against Trump, who has already announced his candidacy . (aeg/sda/dpa)