Jump directly to the content

SUPPORTERS of Donald Trump have lashed out at Mike Pence after the vice president publicly defied him.

Rioters during the Capitol riots after President Trump blamed the "furious" VP for not blocking Joe Biden's win.

Rioters storm the Capitol on January 6
4
Rioters storm the Capitol on January 6Credit: AFP or licensors

Did Trump supporters say they wanted to hang Mike Pence?

Video shared on social media from a livestream during  on January 6 appeared to show demonstrators calling for the vice president to be "hanged."

"Hang Mike Pence! Hang Mike Pence!" crowds at the Capitol in , appeared to yell.

The apparent chants came after  repeatedly called for Pence to block Congress from certifying Joe Biden as the winner - but the VP said he would not do so.

Republican Sen Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma told  ahead of the riots that Pence was outraged at Trump's calls to block the certification of the election.

"I’ve never seen Pence as angry as he was today," Inhofe told the news outlet on Tuesday.

“He said, ‘After all the things I’ve done for (Trump).’”

Trump supporters riot at the Capitol
4
Trump supporters riot at the CapitolCredit: AFP or licensors

What did Trump want Pence to do?

Trump made repeated calls for Pence to block the vote that would certify Joe Biden's election victory.

During his speech at the "Save America March" on Wednesday, Trump urged Pence to "do the right thing."

"I hope Mike is gonna do the right thing," Trump said. "I hope so, I hope so, because if Mike Pence does the right thing, we win the election."

Trump said: "Mike Pence has to agree to send it back."

As Trump spoke, Pence released a statement, stating he would not block Congress from Certifying Biden as the president-elect and did not have the authority to do so.

Vice President Mike Pence
4
Vice President Mike PenceCredit: Getty Images - Getty

"It is my considered judgment that my oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not," Pence said.

He added: "When the Join Session of Congress convenes today, I will do my duty to seeto it that we open the certificates of the Electors of the several states, we hear objections raised by Senators and Representatives and, and we count the votes of the Electoral College for President and Vice President in a manner consistent with our Constitution, laws, and history."

A pro-Trump protester rinses his eyes during a riot
4
A pro-Trump protester rinses his eyes during a riotCredit: Reuters

Following the riots, one official told  that Trump was so angry at Pence that “he couldn’t see straight.”

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, a , hailed Pence for his "courage" in upholding the Constitution.

Will Pence become president?

President Donald Trump is  as House Democrats officially push forward to  in the wake of the Capitol siege.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Some have also called for the 25th Amendment to be enacted and for Trump to be declared unfit for office.

Pence would become president if Trump leaves office, but only until Joe Biden is inaugurated on January 20.

Topics