Former Vice President Warns Against Defunding the FBI, Stresses Support for Law Enforcement

Mike Pence, the former Vice President, strongly condemned the wave of criticism aimed at federal law enforcement by several of his Republican peers following the FBI’s search of Donald Trump’s home in Florida last week. Speaking at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire, Pence emphasised that while it is acceptable to question the legal investigation into Trump, attacking the FBI is unjustified.

The FBI’s search of Trump’s residence was part of an ongoing inquiry into the possible theft and retention of classified documents, despite repeated requests for their return. In response, a number of Republican lawmakers, loyal to Trump, have advocated for cutting the FBI’s funding as a form of retribution.

Pence, however, voiced his disagreement with such rhetoric. “We can hold the Attorney General accountable for his decisions without targeting the dedicated law enforcement officers at the FBI,” Pence stated. He went on to underline the importance of supporting those in law enforcement, asserting, “The Republican Party stands with the men and women who protect us at all levels. Attacks on the FBI must cease. Calls to defund the FBI are just as wrong as calls to defund the police.”

Despite Pence’s calls for restraint, federal agencies have reported a surge in threats against FBI personnel since the raid, with FBI Director Chris Wray condemning these threats as both “dangerous and deplorable.” In a stark incident last week, an armed individual was shot dead by police after attempting to storm the FBI’s Cincinnati office.