Mike Pence heads to California to talk up Trump’s foreign policy in administration’s final days
UPDATE, 5 P.M.:
Vice President Mike Pence thanked U.S. Navy sailors and their families for their commitment to protecting the nation as he visited Lemoore Naval Air Station on Saturday afternoon.
Pence, accompanied by his wife, Second Lady Karen Pence, spoke for about 20 minutes on the tarmac of the Navy base in one of his last official stops before his term as vice president, along with that of President Donald Trump, comes to an end on Wednesday.
Pence’s stage was set up in front of a pair of Navy jets that are part of the Pacific Strike Fighter Wing headquartered at Lemoore: an F-35 Lightning and an F-18E Super Hornet.
“It’s great to be back in Strike Fighter Country,” Pence said. He and his wife visited Lemoore in July 2019. “It’s inspiring to look out and see all of you today,” he added, noting that generations of Navy “warriors have come here, trained here” and deployed from the Lemoore base over more than 60 years.
Under a sunny sky, Pence wore a Navy flight jacket adorned with insignia of squadrons at the Lemoore base. Pence told the sailors that his daughter, Charlotte, and her husband, Navy Lt. Henry Bond, are stationed at Lemoore; a son is a Marine fighter pilot in Arizona.
“I’m here to deliver a very simple message to every single one of you, …” he said. “Thank you for your service.”
After traveling across this country over the past four years, I promise you, the American people are more grateful for your service than you will ever know,” Pence added.
In his speech, Pence proclaimed the success of the Trump administration in restoring a military budget that he said had “been hollowed out by devastating budget cuts,” including providing the largest pay raise for military personnel in about a decade; upgrading outdated equipment in every branch of the armed forces; and for insisting that America’s NATO allies ramp up their contributions to the alliance’s defense.
“For four years I’ve had the honor of being vice president of the United States,” he said. “And we’ve worked every day to make the strongest military force in the world stronger still.”
“History teaches that weakness arouses evil, and our history has proven that a strong America deters it. Our administration has always understood that if you want peace, prepare for war,” Pence said. “I’m proud to say with just a few days left in this administration that this is the first administration in decades not to get American into a new war.
Over four years, Pence said, NATO members had increased their allocations to the alliance’s budget by more than $130 billion.
Additionally, Pence touted the administration’s move of the U.S. Embassy In Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the contested Golan Heights, which he described as “historic” support for the Jewish state. Through various diplomatic efforts, he added “four Arab nations now recognize Israel’s right to exist.”
The move by President Trump to withdraw the U.S. from a nuclear agreement with Iran – a nation Pence described as the world’s “leading state sponsor of terrorism” – has isolated that nation. “Thanks to American leadership, a more peaceful Middle East is within our sights,” he said. He also cited the role that squadrons from Lemoore played in the battle against radical Islamic terrorists including ISIS.
Those accomplishments, Pence added, would not be possible without the efforts of the Navy and the other armed forces, as well as their families. “We’re so grateful for your sacrifice and grateful for your spouses’ and children’s sacrifice,” Pence said.
Pence also offered advice to the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris over concerns over China’s growing efforts to expand its dominance in Asian geopolitics.
“We do well to remember as Americans that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance,” he said. “And so I urge the incoming administration to stay the course, do what we’ve done, stand up to Chinese aggression and trade abuses, stand strong for a free and open Indo-Pacific and put America and our freedom-loving allies first.”
After Karen Pence introduced her husband, she was whisked to a nearby hangar where she spoke with military spouses – a constituency for whom she has championed for broader employment opportunities during her time as Second Lady.
In addition to the Navy sailors, the audience included Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, who recently won back a seat representing the 21st Congressional District that includes the Lemoore base. Valadao is one of only 10 Republicans in Congress to vote last week to impeach President Trump over his role to inflame a crowd of rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, and the only Republican from the Calfornia delegation to vote for impeachment.
Valadao was briefly greeted by Pence after the speech, and said Pence simply said hello and asked how he’s doing. Valadao added that he intends to attend Biden’s inauguration at the Capitol on Wednesday.
After the speech, Pence posed for photos and spoke with some of the assembled Navy personnel before being whisked by motorcade to an undisclosed engagement.
On Sunday, Pence is scheduled to address soldiers at Fort Drum in New York.
=====
ORIGINAL STORY:
Vice President Mike Pence landed Saturday at Lemoore Naval Air Station, paying tribute to service members and what he views as the Trump Administration’s foreign policy legacy in an afternoon address to service members.
The vice president’s aircraft, Air Force Two, arrived at the base in rural Kings County a little before 2 p.m.
Pence, addressing a crowd of about 75 sailors and other Navy personnel, touted what the White House described in advance as the “administration’s historic foreign policy achievements.”
“We’re so grateful for your sacrifice and grateful for your spouses’ and children’s sacrifice,” Pence said.
The vice president was introduced by his wife, Karen, who met with military spouses in a separate event in a hangar at the base.
Pence wore a Navy flight jacket adorned with insignia of the strike fighter squadrons based at Lemoore. He noted that his daughter and son-in-law are stationed at Lemoore, while his son is a Marine F-35 pilot based in Arizona.
“It’s inspiring to look out and see all of you today,” Pence said, noting that generations of Navy “warriors have come here, trained here” and deployed from the Lemoore base for more than 60 years.
The first moments of Pence’s remarks were interrupted by a flyover by a pair of Navy F-18 jets. He spoke for about 20 minutes.
U.S. Rep. David Valadao, a Republican congressman from Hanford who won back his 21st Congressional District seat in November, was among the dignitaries on hand. The base is in Valadao’s district.
Valadao was one of only 10 Republicans in Congress, and the only California Republican, to vote to impeach President Donald Trump for what critics said was Trump’s encouragement of the mob that overwhelmed the U.S. Capitol..
This story will be updated.
This story was originally published January 16, 2021 at 1:38 PM.
