The question is, could more deals be on the horizon . What it all means for the former president. Also, the joint Chief Chairman did not mince words in his retirement today, calling trump a wannabe dictator, without naming him. From her Vice President , mike pence, is here to respond to that in moments. I am katelyn collins, and this is the source. The u. S. Is on the brink of a Government Shutdown tonight with really no plan and site. With all the infighting, all of the f bombs, all the votes that have been happening and also not happening on capitol hill, right now there is still no deal to keep the government open after tomorrow at midnight. How speaker, Kevin Mccarthys own conference saying his last ditch plan earlier today, and tonight he emerged with this message for the senate. I think we have a clean one without ukraine we could probably be able to move that through. I think if the senate puts ukraine on there and focus is ukraine over america i think that could cause real problems. Of course, the keyword there is probably. So far the far right of mccarthys party has not relented. They have been blocking him at every turn. And the process of a shutdown and what it means for regular americans, some of whom, unlike members of congress, made this their paycheck last night, Marjorie Taylor green said this. I promise you, most americans arent too worried about the government shutting down, which is a serious problem, but this is because democrats shutdown the country. Of course, there is a real life impact. Millions of federal employees wont get paid. On top of 1 million activeduty troops. Those who rely on Food Assistance may not have access to it. There could also be serious disruptions to air travel, with flights delayed, completely canceled. The ramifications can be spread far and wide. Lets get straight to the source tonight with the former Vice President and current 2024 president ial candidate, mike pence. Vista Vice President , thank you for being here. We appear to be just 24 hours away from a Government Shutdown. You believe that it is worth shutting the government down for these demands from the lawmakers on the far right . Will the party be any better off after a shutdown happens . Well, first, let me say we have a debt in this country now the size of our nations economy for the First Time Since world war ii, and i welcome efforts by republicans in the house and the senate to take a stand for fiscal responsibility, but, you know, i have been through one of these Government Shutdowns during our administration. Ive been through a few, back when i was a member of congress, and, you know, katelyn, i am confident that they will sort through it, but what is disappointing to me, and i think, millions of americans is that all of the arguments that will lead to the shutdown and may have the Government Shutdown in terms of nonessential workers and programs for some days or even weeks, as we saw in the past, at the end of the day, we are still not talking about the primary causes of the National Debt and i do believe that the time has come for a select leadership to the white house and bring common sense reforms to the Entitlement Program that are 70 of the federal budget. We are striving for a Government Shutdown that only touches 10 of the federal budget. And i think it is come to put our nation back on a path of fiscal solvency. Joe bidens policy is in solvency. He wont even talk about entitlement reform. And in all fairness, president trumps policy is identical to joe bidens id be willing to talk about it, and take them on it if i am president of the United States we will bring those reforms forward for younger americans and put Social Security and medicare back on a Solid Foundation as well. Yeah, i know that is something youve criticized both of those leaders before before. But when it comes to these negotiations happening right now, we just heard from Speaker Mccarthy if you moments ago, saying the senate needs to drop ukraine funding from its plan in order for it to pass the house. I mean, youve heard from senator mcconnell, who says he believes there is nos excuse for congress not to support more aid to ukraine. You believe that Speaker Mccarthy is wrong here . Welcome i think you know, katelyn, i have been one of the strongest voices in the republican field for continuing to provide Ukrainian Military with the support they need to defeat and repel the russian invasion. I think, frankly, i think any faltering support among republicans is more a reflection of the fact that joe biden has done a terrible job explaining what our National Interest is. We hear these gauzy speeches about democracy in the world, when i believe that giving Ukrainian Military what they need to defeat that russian invasion is in our National Interest, because i have no doubt if Vladimir Putin overruns ukraine it will not be long before he crosses a border of a nato country that our soldiers will be required to go and fight. And so i believe in that old reagan doctrine that if you are willing to fight the communists in your country we will give you the means to fight him there so we dont have to fight them. So i stand strongly for the principal. It is important, with accountability, not a blank check, but it is important that the United States continue to provide Ukrainian Military what they need and i am hopeful as they move forward in resolving this budget impasse, that some level of funding will be able to continue to support ukraines effort against the russian invasion. Yeah, i heard that comment about a blank check also on the debate stage on wednesday night people, like governor, ron desantis. I dont know anyone who is advocating for a blank check for ukraine, but you have a ton of specifics from your fellow 2024 republican candidates on the ones who dont advocate for more funding for ukraine, as far as how to resolve this on wednesday night. What did you make of that . Yeah, i mean i, you know, i heard i heard ron desantis say he is going to end the war, never said how hes going to end the war. Donald trump says he will end the war in a day, and, you know, the only way you could end the ukraine war in a day is if you gave Vladimir Putin everything he wants. And that actually is what the Back Ramaswamy is proposing to let him keep what he has grabbed with his brutal and unconscionable invasion and then promise him that ukraine will never be in nato. Look, there is no substitute for American Leadership on The World Stage. This is one of those moments that i believe America Needs to continue to exercise our role as leaders of the free world, marshall our allies in the west to do even more than they have done before. Because as i said in that same debate it got a little sporty and got a little loud. Boy, if Vladimir Putin rolls over ukraine, and we allow it to happen, that will give a green light to she jean ping and the Communist Party to roll into taiwan. I think the best way forward for peace on The World Stage is to continue to provide american support, American Leadership, as ukraine fights for their territory and sovereignty. Yeah, that is one word for it. Today in washington, general mark millie and the joint chiefs of staff, he made this comment in his parting remarks from his role. We dont take an oath to a country. We dont take an oath to a tribe. We dont take an oath to a religion. We dont take an oath to aching. Or a queen. Or a tyrant or a dictator. We dont take an oath to a wannabe dictator. We take an oath to the constitution, and we take an oath to the idea that, as america we are willing to die to protect it. It was quite clear who he was talking about there. What was your reaction to that moment . Well, look, i havent agreed with every decision that the chairman of the joint chiefs has made in the last two years with a lot of the woke politics that have made their way into the pentagon, but i expect all of that is coming out of the biden white house. And i am grateful for General Millies long career of service in the uniform of the United States. Katelyn, i dont know if who he was referring to there, but i must tell you that Donald Trumps recent comments regarding the general were inexcusable. And you think of General Millies incredible years of service in the uniform of the United States to make the kind of statements the former president made are just unacceptable. But it is one of the reasons why i everywhere i go across the country, and i think it might be a reflection of the way i tried to carry myself over my career, people come up to me and they thanked me for commitment of stability. They i think the American People long for us to restore a threshold of civility and move past this season of personal affective that has affected our politics for a whole lot longer than during the years of our ministration. Yeah, but we saw it its been a while around for a while, katelyn, its been around for a while, and i think the American People want to see that. We saw at the forefront, it was very clear he was talking about former president trump. You agree that donald trump is a wannabe dictator . Well, what i agree with is what General Millie said about the oath that men and women in uniform take. You know . My son is a captain of the marine corps, my soninlaw is a lieutenant of the United States navy, and katelyn, as i recounted in my book, in the days leading up to january 6th, two and half years ago, my son, the marine, looked at me at one point and said dad, you take the same oath i take, and that is to support the federal constitution of the United States. But you were closer i did my duty that day. I cant confirm or comment on who General Millie was referring to, but i can affirm his eloquent reference to the men and women who serve in the uniform of the United States. They, and throughout the history of this country clearly i will just say clearly, mr. Vice president , clearly trump thought he was referring to him, because he responded to that after calling General Millie a more on, adding that the man he picked to be defense secretary, he called him a quote woke fool. This is after what you referenced there, trump replied that General Millie should be executed for treason. Are those comments Beyond The Pale in your view . Well, as i said, his earlier comments, regarding General Millie were inexcusable. And really had no place in the public debate. I think it is one of the reasons why, despite what some of the National Polls may show i think republican primary voters know that we need new leadership, not just in the white house, but in the Republican Party, i will be back in iowa first thing in the morning and we will continue to take our case to the commitment of that broadbased Conservative Agenda that has defined our movement for years. But also, i was inspired by Ronald Reagan to become a republican and it was his Conservative Agenda, it was his optimism, and it was his civility, i think that made it possible for him to lead an administration. You talk about stability. That will change the world. You talk about civility at length and you say Republican Voters know, but do they . Lately he has called for the Parent Company of a news network to be investigated for treason. He is vowing to seek retribution if you wins. He says, quite blatantly, that he will go after and target his political opponents. I mean, with comments like that you believe he is a threat if he returns to the oval office . Look, i you know, i spent four years trying to explain Donald Trumps words, and im out of that business now for katelyn. What i can tell you you know him better than anyone else. Everywhere i go, Republican Voters believe that joe biden has weekend this country at home and abroad. I mean, we are struggling in this economy. We have the worst Border Crisis in american history. A disastrous withdrawal from afghanistan. With all due respect this isnt about President Biden, its about the american front runner, mr. Vice president. Well, i lips as i hear you, and i know you all like to focus on those National Polls. Im just telling you, what is happening on the ground is a lot more dynamic than it looks in the day in and day out pulling that you might see. I mean, i am convinced that well more than half of the republican primary voters know that we need a change, and im going to continue to work my heart out to earn the right to be our standardbearer and carry some victory. One of the polls i really like, katelyn said that it had me beating joe biden 5246 by the widest margin of others in the field. And so we will continue to carry that message. Im very confident in republican primary voters, caucus goers in iowa ive heard you say that before, but i mean, it is not just one cherry picked pole or Something Like that. The polls wrongfully show that trump is ahead, and he is making comments like that accusing the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, accusing him of committing treason. Today he was making light of an attack on a prominent political figures spouse in california, obviously warmer speaker pelosis husband. With those comments, saying that news network should be investigated for treason, is that someone who you believe is unfit to be back in the oval office . Is it a threat to the United States if he is out there . Well, im running for president of the United States, because i believe in our party and our country and leadership. And ive been very clear about that. And but no republicans really directly criticize and i think thats what stands out to people when they watch the debate stage on monday night. Is these thinly veiled criticisms of donald trump. No one is criticizing what he has been making. If you are wind the tape, you are not the first person ive spoken to about General Millie. I have been very critical of Donald Trumps plan to pass a tax on all imports in the United States of america. And of course i said by the time i announced president , no one who is president of the United States i will continue to speak about that. But i will tell you, republican and primary voters are less focused on the field of republican candidates in the former president , as they are on the disastrous policies of the Biden Administration case. But as this continues to go forward in New Hampshire after that i think they will continue to focus, dial in and im more convinced than ever that republican primary voters know that donald trump had his time, but joe biden doesnt even know what time it is. I just think you are notable you are former boss and someone you know very well. Say again . You what was your question . I just think i understand that your focus is on President Biden, but to actually run against President Biden if donald trump is far and away the front runner, i just think it is notable that you are not specifically addressing these comments on going after News Networks for investigating for treason. Going after his political opponents. Katelyn, katelyn if i addressed everything donald trump said every day i will talk about nothing else. As i said, i have already addressed in previous interviews my concern about the comments about General Millie. Also, i went up to New Hampshire couple of weeks ago and i said we have come to a republican time for choosing. You know, i joined the Republican Party, because i was drawn to the party, by Ronald R