Mike Pence Pushes Back on Trump's Assertion That Young Girls Only Need '2 or 3' Dolls: 'Really Part of the American Dream'

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Monday publicly broke with President Donald Trump over the administration's approach to trade, taking issue with Trump's recent suggestion that American children can simply "live with less" when it comes to toys amid rising prices.

Trump, defending his tariff-driven trade policy, downplayed concerns about shortages and rising costs by telling reporters aboard Air Force One: "A young lady, a 10-year-old girl, 9-year-old girl, 15-year-old girl, doesn't need 37 dolls. She can be very happy with two or three or four or five."

Pence, in an interview with CNN's Kaitlan Collins, disagreed sharply with that sentiment. "Keeping dolls affordable, keeping our kids' toys affordable, that really is part of the American dream," he said.

Trump's former vice president also pushed back on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's recent remark that "access to cheap goods is not the essence of the American dream." Pence countered, "Cheap goods were a big part of it" for his family as they raised three children on a public servant's salary.

As toy manufacturers like Mattel announce price increases tied to Trump's tariffs, Pence warned that indiscriminate tariffs on allies and rivals alike will backfire on American families. He cautioned that this strategy would lead to inflation and hurt consumers, arguing instead for a targeted, negotiation-based approach to trade.

"I think the American people are going to see the consequences of this," Pence said. "And I think they'll demand a different approach."