During a ceremony Sunday night (May 4), former Vice President Mike Pence accepted the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, saying God helped him fulfill his constitutional duties on Jan. 6, 2021. Pence, who served as VP during President Donald Trump’s first term, certified the 2020 election victory of Democratic candidate Joe Biden despite pressure from Trump and threats from Capitol rioters.
According to the JFK Library Foundation, Pence received the award “for putting his life and career on the line to ensure the constitutional transfer of presidential power.” Amid the unrest on Jan. 6, some Trump supporters set up a noose and chanted, “Hang Mike Pence.” Although Secret Service agents tried to remove Pence from the Capitol that day for his safety, he stayed to certify the election after peace was restored.
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Caroline Kennedy, daughter of JFK, told attendees Sunday that though she has “political differences” with the Republican Pence, he is proof that “political courage is not outdated in the United States.”
Former Vice President Mike Pence honored by Kennedy family in receiving the JFK ‘Profile in Courage Award’ | Fox News https://t.co/feHPLA1XTy pic.twitter.com/4rDqqUJajC
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) May 5, 2025
Kennedy said she initially thought Pence “was just doing his job” on Jan. 6. “Only later did I realize that his act of courage saved our government and warned us about what could happen and is happening right now,” she added.
Mike Pence: Jan. 6 Was a ‘Triumph of Freedom’
Receiving the Profiles in Courage Award is a “distinction that I will cherish for the rest of my life,” said Pence, 65. In his acceptance speech, the outspoken Christian and former Indiana governor said, “I will always believe by God’s grace that I did my duty that day.”
Although Jan. 6 was “a tragic day,” Pence said, “it became a triumph of freedom” because “our institutions held.” He frequently referenced the U.S. Constitution, saying the document “binds us all together” as Americans and “makes us one people.”
Pence, who briefly campaigned for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, didn’t mention President Trump in his speech. But the former VP did reference the current administration and some of its policies. For example, Pence said, “America is the leader of the free world and must stand with Ukraine until the Russian invasion is repelled and a just and lasting peace is secured.”
After the ceremony, Pence spoke to Fox News Digital, saying he’s been “deeply humbled” by how many Americans have supported and encouraged him. “It convinces me that the American people know that whatever differences we may have, the Constitution is the common ground on which we stand,” he said.
Although Pence praised some of the new administration’s actions, he added that “some of the other steps the president is taking away from that conservative agenda should be a concern that would work against his legacy and ultimately the success of our party or our country.” The former VP also detailed his concerns in a recent Wall Street Journal opinion piece.
Pence Critics Compare Him to Judas
On Jan. 6, 2021, President Trump tweeted that Pence “didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution.” Since then, some Trump loyalists have viewed the former VP as a traitor.
, former Vice President Mike Pence accepted the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, saying God helped him fulfill his constitutional duties on Jan. 6, 2021.){kind=link}