US Vice President Mike Pence presiding over a joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021
US Vice President Mike Pence presiding over a joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021 POOL via AFP / SAUL LOEB

KEY POINTS

  • Former Vice President Mike Pence described former President Donald Trump's tweet on Jan. 6, 2021, as "reckless"
  • Pence said he was with his daughter during the attack on the Capitol
  • Pence's autobiography release will coincide with Trump's possible 2024 bid announcement on Tuesday

Former Vice President Mike Pence was "angered" by former President Donald Trump's words and actions during the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021.

In an exclusive interview with ABC's "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir, Pence described Trump's words as "reckless" and said they "endangered me and my family and everyone at the Capitol building" during the riot.

"I mean, the president's words were reckless. It was clear he decided to be part of the problem," Pence said.

The former vice president recalled a tweet from Trump claiming Pence "didn't have the courage to do what should have been done" after he refused to cave in to the former president's pressure to block the certification of Joe Biden's election as the nation's next president.

Pence told Muir that he was with his daughter during the attack on the Capitol and told her at the time, "It doesn't take courage to break the law. It takes courage to uphold the law."

The ABC interview, which is slated to air Monday, will also feature Pence's thoughts on a possible run for president, Trump's potential 2024 bid, and the former president's influence on the GOP's midterm performance.

The interview will be shown a day before the release of Pence's autobiography, "So Help Me God."

In his forthcoming book, Pence condemned his former boss for stoking lies about the 2020 election that led to violence at the Capitol.

He described Trump's refusal to accept the election results as a "new low."

Pence also narrated how his relationship with Trump broke down after the former president sided with his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani over his campaign lawyers about their strategy to challenge election results. Pence described the move as "seeds being sown for a tragic day in January."

Trump, on the other hand, is expected to make a major announcement Tuesday at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, which will coincide with Pence's book release.

Trump's longtime adviser Jason Miller said the announcement would be about the former president's third bid for the White House.

However, some of his other aides urged Trump to delay his announcement following the Republican Party's underperformance in the midterm elections.

Some Republicans blamed Trump's influence in the campaign for failing to recapture the Senate and losing gubernatorial and secretary-of-state races in crucial battleground states.

Committee number two Liz Cheney quoted a witness claiming that Donald Trump (right) had said vice president Mike Pence deserved to be hanged by the mob storming the Capitol
Committee number two Liz Cheney quoted a witness claiming that Donald Trump (right) had said vice president Mike Pence deserved to be hanged by the mob storming the Capitol AFP / MANDEL NGAN