In a move that perfectly captures the petty theater of post-2020 Republican politics, Trump World couldn’t resist piling on Mike Pence after his Florida high school commencement address, framing the former vice president’s appearance as yet another sign of his irrelevance. The trolling—complete with recycled memes and pointed reminders of January 6—serves a dual purpose: it keeps Pence on the defensive while signaling to the base that loyalty to Trump remains the only currency that matters inside the movement. For Second Amendment advocates, the spectacle is a reminder that personality cults can quickly eclipse policy substance; Pence’s record on guns was never stellar, but his willingness to at least entertain due-process reforms after Parkland made him a slightly less reliable vote than the absolutist wing demands.

The deeper implication is that intra-GOP score-settling now routinely crowds out the legislative discipline needed to expand carry reciprocity, protect suppressors, or codify nationwide constitutional carry. When every public appearance by a former Trump official becomes fodder for viral takedowns, the bandwidth for serious coalition-building shrinks. Gun owners who once hoped Pence might evolve into a more dependable ally have watched that prospect evaporate, replaced by a binary loyalty test that leaves little room for incremental wins or even civil disagreement.

Ultimately, the episode underscores why the 2A community must treat elected officials as temporary vehicles for policy rather than objects of personal devotion. Trump’s orbit may relish humiliating Pence, but the real cost is measured in stalled bills and distracted activists; every hour spent relitigating 2020 is an hour not spent defeating magazine bans or training the next generation of pro-carry legislators.