
In his prepared remarks in a speech in New Hampshire this week, former Vice President Mike Pence used the exact words that appeared in a past speech from former President Donald Trump, POLITICO reported.
Pence’s prepared remarks for a speech at Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy were the following: “If we want our families and communities to prosper, America must be the best place on earth to work, invest, innovate, build, master a trade, or start a business. We want companies to move to America, stay in America, and hire American workers.”
In a speech to the New York Economic Club on Nov. 19, 2021, Trump said: “If we want our families and communities to prosper, America must be the best place on earth to work, invest, innovate, build, pursue a career, hone a craft, or start a business. We want companies to move to America, stay in America, and hire American workers.”’
As POLITICO points out, the theme of Pence’s speech was to present him as a traditional Republican who preceded Trump.
The similarity between the two speeches appears to come down to who authored them. The speechwriter responsible for Pence’s remarks worked as a speechwriter in Trump’s orbit when the New York Economic Club remarks were delivered, before going to work for Pence in 2021. A person familiar with Pence’s speech and granted anonymity to speak freely about its preparation said the speechwriter “inadvertently” recycled his own words. A Pence adviser declined to identify the speechwriter.