Trump only learned about Mike Pence’s heart surgery from media, report says

Pence has not met Donald Trump in person since leaving the office in January

Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks to a crowd during an event sponsored by the Palmetto Family organisation on 29 April, 2021 in Columbia, South Carolina. The address was his first since the end of his vice presidency (Getty Images)

Donald Trump only became aware through media reports that his former vice president, Mike Pence, had undergone heart surgery earlier this month.

Mr Pence was considered a loyal deputy to the US president but they fell out in January this year after Mr Pence resisted pressure from Mr Trump to refuse to confirm Joe Biden as president on 6 January.

Mr Trump had made repeated appeals to Mr Pence to “come through” and urged him to stand up for the good of the US, but Mr Pence maintained that he could not reject the votes of the electoral college.

Mr Pence underwent heart surgery earlier this month and at that time he had alerted only a few family members and aides beforehand, reported CNN.

The broadcaster said several former aides of Mr Pence were even caught off guard when he released a statement about experiencing "symptoms associated with a slow heart rate" for two weeks and said he had a pacemaker implanted at a Virginia hospital.

It quoted two people familiar with the matter who said the former president came to know about the surgery from media reports following which he called Mr Pence to wish him a speedy recovery.

Since leaving office in January 2021, the pair have spoken at least once a month on the phone, but Mr Pence has not met with the former president or visited him in Florida.

On Thursday, Mr Pence gave his first public speech since leaving the office as he looks to continue his political career. During the event, he cited the achievements of the Trump administration.

He said: “In 48 months, the Trump-Pence administration achieved the lowest unemployment, the highest household incomes, the most energy production with the most pro-American trade deals, the most secure border and the strongest military in the history of our country.”

He also attacked the Biden administration and said it has led to “an avalanche of liberal policies that have threatened to derail all the progress that we made for a safer, more prosperous, more secure America.”