Pence receiving Profile in Courage Award from JFK Library Foundation
ARCHIVE IMAGE - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence presiding over the joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 Electoral College results on January 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty Images)
Former Vice President Mike Pence is receiving an award next month in honor of his actions on Jan. 6.
The award is called the Profile in Courage Award, and it’s coming from the JFK Library Foundation.
The award recognizes Pence "for putting his life and career on the line to ensure the constitutional transfer of presidential power on Jan. 6, 2021," the JFK Library Foundation said.
What did Pence do on Jan. 6?
The backstory:
Then-President Donald Trump pressured Pence to reject election results from swing states where he was falsely claiming the vote was marred by fraud. Pence refused, saying he lacked such authority.
Dig deeper:
When a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, some chanted that they wanted to "hang Mike Pence." Pence was whisked away by Secret Service agents, narrowly avoiding a confrontation with the rioters.
Pence rejected the Secret Service's advice that he leave the Capitol, staying to continue the ceremonial election certification of Democrat Joe Biden's presidential election victory once rioters were cleared.
What they said:
Trump wrote at the time on X, formerly Twitter, as rioters moved through the Capitol and Pence was in hiding inside the building, that he "didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify."
Two years ago, Pence said Trump's "reckless words endangered my family."
RELATED: Trump pardons people convicted in the Jan. 6 riot on 1st day in office
What is the Profile in Courage Award?
The backstory:
The Profile in Courage Award, named for a book Kennedy published in 1957, before he became president, honors public officials who take principled stands despite the potential political or personal consequences.
What they're saying:
"His decision is an example of President Kennedy’s belief that an act of political courage can change the course of history," Caroline Kennedy and Jack Schlossberg, JFK's daughter and grandson, said in a statement.
Pence said in a statement that he's "deeply humbled and honored" to get the award.
What's next:
The award will be presented on May 4 at the JFK library in Boston.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from a press release issued on April 3, 2025, by the JFK Library Foundation. Background information on Trump and Pence and Jan. 6 was taken from The Associated Press and previous FOX Television Station reportings. This story was reported from Detroit.