Bill Maher Presses Mike Pence on "Hang Mike Pence" Death Threats and Trump's Third-Term Talk

Bill Maher pressed former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday about former President Donald Trump’s talk of a possible third term and the death threats Pence faced during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The exchange drew on findings from the House committee that investigated the assault, including testimony that witnesses heard Trump appear to approve chants of "hang Mike Pence" and that protesters brought a makeshift gallows onto Capitol grounds.

Maher’s Line of Questioning

After Pence acknowledged that a third term would be unconstitutional, Maher shifted to Jan. 6 and asked whether some rioters were simply caught up in the moment while others clearly intended harm. "Could we say that, yes, some people were there just for reasons of, who knows, they weren’t exactly tourists, but they weren’t having horrible intent? Other people, can we say some bad people were there, like the ones who wanted to hang you?" Maher asked.

Pence’s Response

Pence answered without rancor. He said he would not object to pardons for people who were merely swept up in the chaos, but he strongly opposed pardons or rewards for anyone who assaulted police officers, vandalized the Capitol, or attempted to disrupt the counting of Electoral College votes. "Those people never should have been pardoned and they should never get a dime," he said.

Pressed on whether he feared for his life that day, Pence said he never felt greater resolve. "I’ve often told my kids the safest place in the world is to be in the center of God’s will. And I really knew I was where I was supposed to be," he said.

Context From the Jan. 6 Investigation

House committee testimony described moments of acute danger: at one point the mob advanced to within about 40 feet of Pence, and Secret Service agents reportedly called loved ones to say goodbye. At least 140 law enforcement officers were injured during the assault, and one Metropolitan Police Department officer was nearly crushed.

On the Vice President’s Constitutional Role

Pence reiterated his view that the vice president’s constitutional duty on Jan. 6 was limited to presiding over the joint session of Congress while Electoral College votes were opened and counted. "No vice president in history had ever asserted any authority to decide what votes to count or send back to the states," he said. "I knew my duty was clear and I’ll always believe, by God’s grace, I did my duty."

Note: This interview excerpt was discussed on Maher’s program and reflects the public exchange between the two figures as well as publicly available findings from the House January 6 committee.