Pence Blames Trump And Isolationist Republicans Amid Israel Crisis: They Are ‘Signaling Retreat’

Former Vice President Mike Pence pulled no punches this Sunday when joining CNN’s Dana Bash to discuss the ongoing crisis in Israel and the Middle East, which Pence laid in part on his former boss Donald Trump.

“But let me begin where we ought to start. I mean, that disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan has emboldened the enemies of freedom around the world,” Pence began, pointing the finger at the current president as many GOP 2024 contenders have.

“And now war is raging in Eastern Europe. And President Joe Biden’s kowtowing for the last two and a half years to the mullahs in Iran, lifting sanctions, begging them to get back in the Iran nuclear deal, and then paying $6 billion in a ransom for hostages, I think set the conditions for this unprecedented terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel,” Pence added.

On Saturday, Hamas gunmen attacked villages in southern Israel murdering some 600 people and kidnapping 100 more, mostly civilians. Hamas also fired thousands of rockets into Israel, which killed more civilians.

Pence then changed gears and took aim at Trump and his “America First” foreign policy.

“But I also believe this is what happens when we have leading voices like Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis signaling retreat from America’s role as leader of the free world,” Pence continued, adding:

Look, what happened in Ukraine was an unprovoked invasion by Russia. What happened this weekend was an unprovoked invasion by Hamas into Israel. And I really believe now more than ever, both the debate within the Republican Party and the debate within America is whether or not we’re going to once again stand without apology as the leader of the free world, as the arsenal of democracy. The heartbreaking images coming out of both of these theaters of operations remind us that America is the indispensable leader of the free world, and if I’m president of the United States will lead from American strength.

Watch the full clip above via CNN.