Pence says no room in GOP for ‘apologists for Putin’

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday will rebuke those in the Republican Party who have praised Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent weeks, including most prominently former President Trump.

“There is no room in this party for apologists for Putin. There is only room for champions of freedom,” Pence will tell a gathering of Republican National Committee (RNC) donors, according to excerpts shared with The Hill.

The comments from Pence are a tacit criticism of Trump and others who have complimented Putin’s intelligence and strategy as he directed Russia to invade Ukraine without provocation.