Over the last week, Vice President Mike Pence has taken a page out of Donald Trump's playbook by using Twitter to vent his frustrations. After representing the United States during the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, the vice president had some strong words for North Korea on social media.
Back in DC. Proud to stand w/Japan & South Korea reaffirming our strong alliance. Our policy regarding North Korea is unchanged from my trip. @POTUS has said he “always believes in talking” but there will be NO reward for talks...
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) February 12, 2018
Pence on Trump
Upon arriving for the start of the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, Vice President Mike Pence made headlines for a variety of reasons.
First it was in response to Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon, who is openly gay, announcing he wouldn't meet with Pence due to the vice president's controversial stance on LGBT rights. After Pence nearly groveled to Rippon on Twitter, he went back on the social media platform to sound off on the status between the United States and North Korea.
Despite potential talks, and irrespective of if they happen w/USA or S. Korea, new strong sanctions are coming very soon and the maximum pressure campaign will only intensify until North Korea abandons its nuclear program. All our allies agree!
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) February 12, 2018
In a pair of tweets sent out on February 13, Mike Pence didn't hold back his thoughts about North Korea.
"Back in DC. Proud to stand w/Japan & South Korea reaffirming our strong alliance," Pence tweeted. "Our policy regarding North Korea is unchanged from my trip. POTUS has said he 'always believes in talking' but there will be NO reward for talks," he added.
In a follow-up tweet, Mike Pence doubled down on his warning to North Korea.
"Despite potential talks, and irrespective of if they happen w/USA or S. Korea, new strong sanctions are coming very soon and the maximum pressure campaign will only intensify until North Korea abandons its nuclear program," Pence tweet, before adding, "All our allies agree!"
Moving forward
In response to Mike Pence's tweet, critics of the administration wasted no time firing back.
"Lol, a joke. Russian oligarchs are making billions selling to North Korea from ports north. Does Donald Trump and Putin get a cut? Where’s the pressure on Russia?" a tweet read.
Lol, a joke. Russian oligarchs are making billions selling to North Korea from ports north. Does @realDonaldTrump and Putin get a cut? Where’s the pressure on Russia?
— Bob Radomski (@rlradski) February 12, 2018
All of Congress and the Senate agreed on #RussianSanctions . What's up with those?
— Danny Morrow (@dpmorrow) February 12, 2018
"All of Congress and the Senate agreed on Russian Sanctions. What's up with those?" a follow-up tweet added. "What about your RUSSIAN friends? Ever going to get those sanctions in place...??" yet another tweet stated.
"Will these sanctions sit on the sidelines like the Russian ones? How many rubles did you end up with Mikey?" a social media user wrote.
@POTUS when will the Russia sanctions authorized by overwhelming majorities in both House and Senate be enacted? Please comment!!
— Jim Scudder (@therealscuddly) February 12, 2018
#RussiaSanctions is first on my agenda. Little kim and liddle donnie’s ego masturbation standoffs are a stupidly dangerous smoke screen. #Monday
— Adrienne LaCava (@AdrienneLaCava) February 12, 2018
What about your RUSSIAN friends? Ever going to get those sanctions in place...??
— WiseMagic (@RockinHits) February 12, 2018
"When will the Russia sanctions authorized by overwhelming majorities in both House and Senate be enacted? Please comment!!" a Twitter user wondered. "As the negative responses continued, it was clear that the opposition to the White House was only gaining stream.
