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‘I Don’t Want to Be Your Friend Anymore’: Trump Gave Pence a Jan. 5 Ultimatum, Book Claims

The then-president also reportedly tried to convince his vice president to reject the vote by arguing it would make him “cool,” according to excerpts from a new book.

In his desperation to remain in the White House after Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 election, then-President Donald Trump reportedly resorted to schoolyard threats against Mike Pence to convince him to overturn the results by rejecting certification. “You can do this. I don’t want to be your friend anymore if you don’t do this,” Trump told Pence after the then-vice president declined to throw the election, according to a new book by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa. The book, titled Peril, details Trump’s final chaotic days in office. According to excerpts published by CNN on Tuesday, Trump apparently pinned his hopes on Pence wanting to be “cool” and impress the MAGA fans pushing for Trump to stay in the White House. “If these people say you had the power, wouldn’t you want to?” Trump reportedly asked, referring to supporters. When Pence objected to the idea of “any one person” having that much authority, Trump shot back: “But wouldn’t it be almost cool to have that power?” according to CNN.