Mike Pence wouldn't give a straight answer when asked if he thought Trump is a 'good man'

President Donald Trump speaks with Vice President Mike Pence during the daily briefing of the coronavirus task force at the White House on April 23, 2020 in Washington, DC. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

• Mike Pence didn't give a straight answer when asked if he still thinks Trump is a good man.
• Pence was asked about a 2016 RNC speech, where he called Trump a "good man." 
• Pence did not say if he still thought that assessment was true, saying: "Only God knows our hearts."

Former Vice President Mike Pence — who is being coy about his own 2024 presidential bid — was asked if he still thinks Trump is a "good man." He didn't give a straight answer. 

NPR's Steve Inskeep asked Pence on Monday about a 2016 speech the latter made when accepting the nomination for the vice presidency. Inskeep brought up how, in that speech, Pence called Trump a "good man."

Inskeep then asked if Pence still stands by that statement. 

"President Trump was wrong on January 6 in arguing that I had the authority to overturn the election. But I'll always be proud of the record that we created for the American people, Steve," Pence said. 

"While you're proud of the record, you didn't just call him a good man again," Inskeep pressed Pence. 

"Well, look, I truly do believe that only God knows our hearts. I'll leave it to others to make their own judgments," Pence said. 

"But I must tell you that the president and I enjoyed a close working relationship. And I know it may — it may strike people in a surprising fashion," Pence said. 

—Steve Inskeep (@NPRinskeep) November 22, 2022

Pence has had a tense relationship with his former boss, particularly after Trump tried and failed to get him to overturn the 2020 election. The Washington Post reported in June that Pence has not spoken to Trump in more than a year.

A tipping point in Pence and Trump's relationship came during the January 6 Capitol riot, when many Trump supporters turned on Pence when he broke with Trump and certified the vote. 

Some Trump supporters erected makeshift gallows and chanted "hang Mike Pence" during the Capitol riot — actions that Trump privately expressed support for, the January 6 panel revealed. Trump also tweeted during the attack that Pence did not have "the courage to do what should have been done."

White House aides also told the January 6 panel that Trump had a "heated" call with Pence on January 6, 2021. During the call, Trump called Pence a "pussy" for certifying the electoral vote count, among other profanities, per aides' testimony to the panel. 

While Pence has by and large held back from attacking Trump, he has been outspoken about his decision to not aid Trump in overturning the 2020 vote. In February, he told the Federalist Society that "Trump is wrong" about him having the right to overturn the election."

Pence also said in November 2021 that he was guided by the Bible and founding father James Madison when he certified the vote. 

Pence has not declared if he will run for president. In October, he was coy about whether he would vote for Trump in 2024, saying there "might be somebody else I'd prefer more" to be president. 

A representative for Pence did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.