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PoliticsUnited States of America

Special counsel probing Trump subpoenas Mike Pence

February 10, 2023

Mike Pence was subpoenaed as part of two ongoing probes against Trump. In January, classified documents were found at Pence's residence.

https://p.dw.com/p/4NJWD
Former US Vice President Mike Pence speaks to the media.
Former US Vice President Mike Pence has yet to announce whether he will run for president in 2024Image: M. Dowell/Lake Buena Vista Sentinel /AP/picture alliance

Former US vice president Mike Pence and national security advisor Robert O'Brien received subpoenas from the special counsel overseeing probes into former US president Donald Trump.

Currently, there are two ongoing investigations into Trump.

The first involves the former president's handling of highly classified documents which he retained at his Mar-a-Lago residence after leaving the White House in January 2021.

The second investigation is examining his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

Pence is expected to give his testimony and handover the documents asked of him.

Former U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien speaks to the media
Former US national security advisor Robert O'Brien received a subpoena from the special counsel overseeing the probes into Donald TrumpImage: Hau Dinh/AP Photo/AP Images/picture alliance

Classified documents found at Pence's residence

Pence was issued a subpoena by special counsel Jack Smith.

Smith was appointed last November to specifically oversee the investigations into Trump.

The announcement of Smith's appointment came shortly after Trump announced that he would once again seek the Republican nomination for president in 2024.

Media reports suggest that Smith is particularly interested in the exchanges between Trump and Pence around the riots that happened at the Capitol building on January 6, 2021.

US House panel recommends charges against Trump

O'Brien has reportedly asserted executive privilege and has declined to provide some of the information sought by prosecutors.

Pence's office has yet to respond to the subpoena.

In January in the wake of classified material being found at President Joe Biden's home in Delaware, a review of Pence's personal records was conducted.

Several classified documents  were discovered in Pence's Indiana home. He said that even though he was not aware, he takes "full responsibility."

Trump and Pence to lock horns again

Trump and Pence have been estranged ever since the violence caused by a mob of Trump supporters on at the US Capitol building.

The extraordinary situation of a former vice president potentially testifying against his former boss in a criminal investigation comes as Pence contemplates launching a 2024 presidential bid against Trump.

Pence served as vice president under Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021.

ns/ar (AP, Reuters, dpa)