VP Pence Explains President Trump's Election 'Violence' Comment to CBN News

In an exclusive interview with CBN News, Vice President Mike Pence says the media shouldn't be in an uproar over President Trump's warning that there could be violence from leftists if Republicans lose control of Congress in the mid-term elections.

The president made the comments at a White House dinner celebrating the evangelical community, an event Pence was at.

"What I heard the president say was that if the Democrats take over the Congress, that their goal is to turn back everything that we’ve done for the American people," Pence told CBN News in an interview outside Detroit, Michigan.

Trump's reported comments at the evangelical dinner referenced leftist groups whom he called "violent."

"Well obviously we condemn any examples of violence on the streets of this country," said Pence. "Zero tolerance for any violence against Americans."

CBN News' David Brody and Jenna Browder traveled on Air Force Two with the vice president Wednesday and interviewed him after a campaign event for US GOP Senate candidate John James.

Pence has been traveling extensively in support of candidates during the run-up to the mid-term elections.

He said the president's comments should be looked at in a broader way.

"Our agenda is to continue to focus on making America safe, making America prosperous, and a positive future for this country," Pence said. "Democrats' whole agenda is simply to undo everything that the President has done, including preventing the President from continuing to appoint strong conservatives to our federal courts at every level. That’s the choice we face and that’s what I took the president to say.”

Full transcription: 

David Brody: “The other night, President Trump – you were there in the room – evangelical leaders where he talked about, look if Democrats take over in 2018, that indeed there will be violence. He used the word ‘violence’ and that the media is all in an uproar over the word ‘violence.’ What do you make of it? What is he saying exactly? What does he mean?”

Vice President Mike Pence: “Well what I heard the president say was that if the Democrats take over the Congress, that their goal is to turn back everything that we’ve done for the American people. And everything that’s created an economy that’s now growing by more than four percent, that’s bringing jobs back to states like here in Michigan and all over the country. They want to roll back everything we’ve done and part of the reason why we’re traveling so much across the country and the reason why we had an opportunity to talk to some of the great evangelical leaders in the country, is to make sure that the American people know that’s the choice. Our agenda is to continue to focus on making America safe, making America prosperous, and a positive future for this country. Democrats whole agenda is simply to undo everything that the president has done, including prevent the president from continuing to appoint strong conservatives to our federal courts at every level. That’s the choice we face and that’s what I took the president to say.”

David Brody: “Because he did mention Antifa and some of these leftist groups.”

Vice President Mike Pence: “Well, sure.”

David Brody: “What’s the concern there?”

Vice President Mike Pence: “Well obviously we condemn any examples of violence on the streets of this country. Zero tolerance for any violence against Americans. But the president’s point as I took it from where I was seated was that the Democrat party in Congress is absolutely committed to reversing everything that we’ve been able to do for the American people and that’s why we’re going to be traveling so much. The president’s going to be over the next 69 days spending most of that time traveling across the country. I’ll be doing the same and I tell you, when you look at the results, the agenda that the president’s been able to advance with Republican partners on Capitol Hill and particularly the results that we’ve been able to advance for people that share conservative values in this country, I like our chances in 2018.”