Mike Pence Wants Republicans to Do Some ‘Soul Searching’ Before 2028, And It Involves Abandoning Trump

Former Vice President Mike Pence, in an episode of the “Going Big!” podcast with Kevin Gentry, said Republicans may need to do some soul-searching ahead of the 2028 presidential election to determine what direction the party wants to take and what the next generation of conservatives should look like. He argued that Republicans must decide whether to remain closer to their Reagan-era roots or continue down the path set by President Trump, which Pence described as inconsistent with traditional conservatism.

He criticized the president for straying from core conservative pillars such as being pro-life, supporting free markets amid tariff policy, and what he characterized as a turn toward isolationism, despite the administration’s involvement in the Iran conflict. Pence even suggested that the president would “bristle” at having his policies described as conservative.

Mike Pence: “I think Republicans ought to do a lot of soul-searching” before 2028

“I think Republicans face a new time of choosing — whether we’re going to stay on the path of the traditional conservative principles that have always defined our party for the last half century,… pic.twitter.com/HkFXBakjKP

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) May 12, 2026

“I think Republicans face a new time of choosing whether we’re gonna stay on the path of the traditional conservative principles that have always defined our party for the last half century or whether we’re going to follow the siren song of populism on more to conservative principles,” the former vice president said. “And there are loud voices in and out of government, some of which have been able to influence the new Trump administration in ways that are taking our party and our movement far afield from those traditional conservative underpinnings.”

And where we’ve always been the party of a strong defense and we see America as leader of the free world, the arsenal of democracy, their rising course of isolationist voices in the Republican party. I write about that in my book where we’ve always been a party committed to low taxes, including low tariffs and free trade. Now, as we witnessed the president impose unilateral tariffs on friend and foe alike until the Supreme Court stepped in and used the constitution to turn him back. And most poignantly to me is while we’ve been a pro-life party and the party of the sanctity of life throughout most of my adult lifetime.

“Cause I do think as people look to the future, Kevin, I think it’s gonna be more important for us to figure out what we’re for before we decide who we’re for in the next presidential election. I think Republicans ought to do a lot of soul searching,” Pence said.

“Like I make the point, I know Donald Trump better than his most ardent defenders know him, okay? And he is not ideological. In fact, he often bristled when I would refer to policies as conservative. He would with a wave of a hand say to me, that’s just common sense.”

But now as you see the stops and starts on our support for Ukraine under this administration, nationalizing American businesses, unilateral tariffs, price controls on everything from pharmaceuticals to credit cards. All of this gives, I think should create a backdrop for a very healthy debate over whether we’re going to stay moving in the direction on these issues that president Trump has led our party or whether we’re gonna reground ourselves back to those timeless conservative principles. I think that have always made not only our party successful, but more importantly, have made America strong and prosperous and free.

While the president may not be a “traditional” conservative, he introduced something to 21st-century Republican politics that many conservatives had long argued was missing: victory. And while he may not be fully aligned with the ideological mold of a classic Reagan-era conservative, many argue those pricniples don’t matter unless elections are won, and policy can be enacted to follow them. 

President Trump has done more for “traditional” conservative principles than any Republican of the 21st-century, and introduced a strategy and movement capable of winning elections. 

Conservatives have little interest in returning to a position of holding a principled high ground while struggling to win elections. They argue that his rise does not represent a rejection of conservative principles, but rather a shift in how those principles are applied, one that will likely evolve again with whoever President Trump ultimately passes the MAGA movement to. 

Trump is not a failure of conservative ideas, but an adaptation of them in a way that has expanded electoral success and increased the ability to advance policy goals.

Editor’s Note: President Trump is leading America into the “Golden Age” as Democrats try desperately to stop it.  

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