Mike Pence Responds to Charlie Kirk Over 'Not My Concern' Clip: 'Fake News'

Former Vice President Mike Pence has hit out at Charlie Kirk after the conservative activist shared a misleading clip of the 2024 hopeful on social media.

Kirk, podcast host and founder of Turning Point USA, was one of numerous people to share footage of an interview Pence gave to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson suggesting that Pence is more concerned about protecting the people of Ukraine than he is dealing with issues in the United States.

In a tweet on Friday, Pence labeled the video as "fake news" while sharing a longer version of the interview he gave at the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa, in which it is clear the former VP was dismissing suggestions that he was not concerned about improving the lives of people in the U.S.

The MAGA attempt to smear Pence comes as the former vice president is launching his own bid for the White House, in which he is currently behind both former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the polls.

Numerous GOP figures, including Trump, have spoken out against the U.S. sending weapons and munitions to Ukraine while suggesting that trying to negotiate a peace deal between the two warring countries is the better option.

During the summit appearance at Des Moines, Iowa, Carlson asked Pence what his priorities are after he criticized the Biden administration for how long it took to provide Ukraine with military aid amid the Russian invasion.

"You are distressed that the Ukrainians don't have enough American tanks. Every city in the United States has become much worse over the past three years. Drive around. There's not one city that's gotten better in the United States, and it's visible," Carlson said.

"Our economy has degraded, the suicide rate has jumped, public filth and disorder and crime have exponentially increased, and yet, your concern is that the Ukrainians—a country most people can't find on a map—who've received tens of billions of U.S. tax dollars, don't have enough tanks. I think it's a fair question to ask, like, where's the concern for the United States in that?"

In reply, Pence said, "It's not my concern. Tucker, I've heard that routine from you before, but that's not my concern." This is where the video clip that was shared by Kirk on Twitter ends, cutting off the rest of his answer.

"Sorry @charliekirk11. That is what we used to call FAKE NEWS. Here's the full clip of my remarks if you're interested," Pence tweeted in response to Kirk's post.

Kirk's office has been contacted for comment.

Later on in his answer, Pence explained that as the "greatest nation on Earth," the U.S. is more than capable of assisting countries abroad while also dealing with domestic issues.

"I'm running for president in the United States because I think this country is in a lot of trouble. I think Joe Biden has weakened America at home and abroad," Pence said.

"As president of the United States, we're going to restore law and order in our cities. We're going to secure our border, we're going to get this economy moving again. And we're going to make sure that we have men and women on our courts at every level that will stand for the right to life and defend all the God-given liberties enshrined in our Constitution.

"Anybody that says that we can't be the leader of the free world and solve our problems at home has a pretty small view of the greatest nation on Earth. We can do both. And as president of the United States, we will secure our border, we will support our military, we will revive our economy and stand by our values. And we will also lead the world for freedom under my administration. I promise."

According to FiveThirtyEight's national poll tracker, Pence is currently third in the 2024 GOP primary race with 7.4 percent, way behind DeSantis in second on 21 percent and Trump on 49.7 percent.