Former Vice President Mike Pence has never been one to mince words, but his latest critique of President Donald Trump cuts deep. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed published Sunday, Pence argued that the Republican Party has lost its way under Trump, who he says has abandoned conservative principles for a "newfound populism merging with progressivism and its hostility to constitutional order."

Pence pointed to Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election as an early sign of this shift. He also recalled Trump's own words from the 2024 campaign trail, where the president declared, "You know, people say, 'You're conservative.' I'm not conservative. You know what I am? I'm a man of common sense."

In an appearance on CBS News' Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan on Sunday, Pence doubled down. He admitted the GOP has "lost" its way under Trump, but he quickly pivoted to take a shot at Democrats, saying they "have lost their minds." He argued that the Republican Party's best hope for retaining the Senate and possibly flipping the House lies in "extremism on the Democratic side." Pence also expressed concern about prominent Democratic voices advocating for socialist policies, suggesting a broader shift in the political landscape.

Pence's criticism is notable given his history as Trump's loyal vice president during the first term. The two have had a rocky relationship since Pence refused to overturn the 2020 election results, and this latest salvo underscores the deepening rift within the party.

But Pence hasn't been entirely anti-Trump. In January, he defended Trump's controversial plan to acquire Greenland, citing national security interests. And in February, he publicly backed a Supreme Court ruling that blocked Trump's tariff policy, reinforcing constitutional limits. So it's a mixed bag—Pence is picking his battles.

Economist Peter Schiff has echoed Pence's concerns. Last month, Schiff argued that the Republican Party has lost its fiscal conservative identity under Trump, claiming the U.S. now effectively has "two Democratic parties." After Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) lost his Republican primary to a Trump-backed challenger, Ken Paxton, Schiff said the GOP no longer functions as a traditional center-right party focused on limited government and spending restraint. He contended that both major parties now support different forms of big-government policies with their "own brand of socialism."

The debate over the GOP's identity is heating up, and Pence's op-ed is just the latest sign that the party's internal struggle is far from over. Whether voters will reward the Republicans for their newfound populism or punish them for straying from conservative roots remains to be seen.