Carlson presses Pence on Jan. 6 during Iowa candidate forum

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday fielded questions about the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot from former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Carlson pressed Pence as to whether he would consider the event an "insurrection," according to The Hill. 

"I've never used the word insurrection, Tucker, over the past two years, but it was a riot that took place at the Capitol that day," was his response. "All I know for sure having lived through it at the Capitol is that it was a tragic day."

Pence earned the ire of former President Donald Trump's supporters for refusing to participate in efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election and has since broken with his former running mate.

He contended he lacked any authority to have intervened in the certification process and has made his refusal a highlight of his campaign.

The former vice president further characterized Trump's words on Jan. 6 as "reckless" and said they "endangered me and my family and everyone that was at the Capitol that day."

"I believe history will hold him accountable for that," he asserted.

Pence currently stands in third place for the Republican nomination, earning a 6.3% support in the RealClearPolitics polling average.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.