Former Vice President Mike Pence expressed his inability to defend the criminal charges against his former boss and political rival, Donald Trump, who was indicted for mishandling classified documents. While Pence acknowledged the serious nature of the charges, he echoed Trump's narrative of a "two-tiered" justice system and criticized the prosecutors pursuing the case against the former president. Pence's comments came a week after he entered the 2024 Republican primary race, where Trump continues to maintain a significant lead despite his legal troubles. Although Pence criticized Trump in his campaign kickoff speech, he still emphasized their shared agenda and called for new leadership. Other Republican primary contenders, such as Chris Christie and Nikki Haley, have taken different stances on Trump's indictment, with Christie criticizing Trump's lack of concern for the American people and Haley expressing a potential inclination toward a pardon.