Former Vice President Mike Pence (R-IN) said the Republican Party has shifted toward a populist right under Donald Trump.

This ideological pivot represents a growing divide within the GOP between traditional conservatives and the populist movement. Pence said the party has moved away from core principles that once defined the movement.

Speaking in an interview on June 22, 2026 [1], Pence discussed these themes in relation to his new book, "What Conservatives Believe". He said his own political beliefs have remained the same while the party around him changed.

During the interview and previous appearances on NBC's Meet the Press and CBS's Face the Nation, Pence detailed how the shift under Trump has altered the party's trajectory. He said the move toward populism is detrimental to the core principles of conservatism.

Throughout the promotional tour for his book, Pence has questioned the direction of the party and the influence of populist rhetoric. He said that traditional conservatism is rooted in a different set of values than the current direction of the GOP.

By framing his views through a new book, Pence is attempting to define a conservative identity that exists independently of Donald Trump's influence. He said the Republican Party must decide if it will return to its traditional roots or continue its current path.

“The Republican Party has shifted toward a populist right under Donald Trump.”

Pence's public critique signals a formal attempt to carve out a space for 'traditional' conservatism within a party currently dominated by Trump-era populism. By articulating this divide in a book, he is not just offering a personal memoir but is proposing an ideological alternative for the future of the Republican platform.