'He didn’t say it as clearly as you did': Pence grilled on Trump’s 'I don't know' remarks

Former Vice President Mike Pence continuously tried to assert in his interview with CNN that he had confidence in President Donald Trump's ability to uphold the Constitution even as he had to go against Trump to do so in 2020.

Anchor Kaitlan Collins repeatedly pressed him on her show, "The Source," about instances where Trump appeared unwilling to follow the Constitution.

"Given that when President Trump was asked if he thinks that he has to uphold the Constitution, he said, quote, 'I don't know,' is there any doubt in your view that the president must uphold the Constitution?" asked Collins.

"Well, we all take the same oath, which is we put our left hand on a Bible and raise our right hand, and we swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States," said Pence. "And, despite our enduring differences about my duty four years ago, I believe President Trump understands that ... I saw a bit of that clip, and I think the president was simply saying that he didn't yet know what his lawyers' views of that question was. But I served alongside the president for four and a half years. We had a good working relationship. I'm proud of the record of the Trump-Pence administration. And I believe the president understands what his responsibilities and duties are."

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Pence then praised Trump's attorney general, Pam Bondi, and his top border adviser, Tom Homan.

"I commend President Trump and the administration for the strong steps that they've taken to secure our border and reduce illegal immigration by 90 percent. I think these are important steps. It's what the American people were hoping to see, and I greatly welcome it," said Pence.

Collins, however, pressed him on his answer.

"But in your view, there's no question of whether the president has to uphold the Constitution?" asked Collins.

"As my Marine Corps son reminded me a few days before January 6th, he said, you took the same oath I took, Dad," said Pence. "It's the oath that people in the military, people in law enforcement, people in public life, take. And, and I — I have every confidence the president understands his responsibilities."

Collins wasn't quite ready to leave it just there, but ultimately moved on.

"He didn't say it nearly as clearly as you did just there," said Collins, before turning to immigration. "A lot of this isn't playing out, not on the southern border, but inside the courtroom and court fights. And when he was asked if he agreed that everyone on U.S. soil deserves due process, he also said, quote, I don't know, I'm not a lawyer. Despite it being guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment. Is it clear to you that everyone on U.S. soil is afforded due process?"

"Well, I think that's one of the — one of the genius aspects of our system and of our Constitution, is that the protections and the liberties that are enshrined there are provided to persons in America, not just citizens in America," said Pence. "And I have every confidence that the administration understands that."

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