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Bono had some surprising praise for Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday.

At the Munich Security Conference in Germany, the U2 frontman, 56, called Pence the second busiest man on earth before the two went on to chat about thePresidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. In 2003, President George W. Bush introduced the five-year bilateral agreement, which designated $15 billion to be spent on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and research in developing countries. Even Bush critics have praised the initiative, which reportedly now provides antiretroviral drugs to 11.5 million people.

As an Indiana congressman, Pence voted in favor of PEPFAR in both 2003 and 2008, a point which did not go unnoticed by Bono, who has been a longtime activist in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Twice on the House floor you defended that, Bono said. Thats how we know you.

It was an extraordinary historic accomplishment,the vice president, who captured the moment for posterity on Twitter, told Bono.You played a leading role in carrying it forward.

Unfortunately, Bono seemed to overlook the rest of Pences history with HIV/AIDS issuesduring the brief interaction. In 2011, the vice president laid the groundwork for a massive HIV outbreak as an Indiana congressman, when the House passed his amendment to defund Planned Parenthood. Public health spending cuts prompted the shuttering of the only Planned Parenthood in Indianas Scott County during Pences first year as governor in 2013, leaving 24,000 residents without a place to get tested for HIV. That closing is one of several factors that may have influenced a 2015 spike in HIV infections, the worst in Indianas history. The outbreak prompted Pence, who also opposed needle exchange programs that can curb the spread of the virus, todeclare a state of emergency.

And while Bono and his bandmates are also LGBTQ rights advocates, the singer kept his mouth shut on Pencesvehemently anti-equality platformduring the chat. Given the significance of HIV/AIDS issues to the queer community, this apparent disregard prompted Twitter to do its best to set the U2 singer straight.

Just goes to show that it pays to do a little research into a politicians rhetoric before heaping them with compliments.

For the latest in LGBTQ news,dont miss the Queer Voices newsletter.

CORRECTION: The original version of this article referred to PEPFAR as a $15 million initiative. The correct amount is $15 billion. Language has been added to clarify that the 2013 Planned Parenthood closing is one of several factors that were said to have influenced the 2015 HIV outbreak in Indiana.

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Bono Praises Anti-AIDS Work Of Mike Pence, Who Caused An HIV Outbreak - Huffington Post

When then-Gov. Mike Pence faced the worst public health crisis to hit Indiana in decades, he turned to Obamacare a program he vilified and voted against.

In 2015, as a rash of HIV infections spread through rural southern Indiana, state health officials parachuted into Scott County and enrolled scores of people into Obamacare's expanded Medicaid program so they could get medical care and substance abuse treatment. Many were addicted to opioids and had contracted HIV by sharing dirty needles.

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Two years later, Pence is helping to lead the Republican effort to dismantle the program that helped him halt the deadly outbreak in an impoverished swathe of Indiana.

"These are good salt-of-the-earth folks who got caught up in a disaster. Not funding this would be like removing sandbags during a flood, said Blake Johnson, who helps people in Scott County enroll in health coverage on behalf of Covering Kids & Families of Indiana, a nonprofit patient group.

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump had been among several GOP presidential candidates who talked about the plight of Americans addicted to opioids. I would dramatically expand access to treatment slots and end Medicaid policies that obstruct inpatient treatment, Trump said last fall, three weeks before his election. He also talked about dismantling Obamacare and turning Medicaid into a block grant program an approach that caps federal support and could force states to cut benefits or eligibility.

Pence was one of the GOP governors who had agreed to expand Medicaid under Obamacare, albeit with certain conservative tweaks. He signed his states Medicaid expansion known as the Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0 in 2015 the same year as the HIV outbreak.

Some Pence critics have said his strong anti-abortion stance, which led Indiana to close several Planned Parenthood clinics including one in Scott County, may have worsened the outbreak by making HIV testing less accessible.

His health department relied heavily on the program to respond to the HIV crisis in southern Indiana. Officials set up a one-stop-shop, next to a free needle exchange, in the tiny, impoverished town of Austin, and offered hot meals, HIV screenings, vaccinations and assistance to help people enroll in insurance many for the first time through HIP 2.0.

Within a month, about 168 people were approved for the program, according to figures provided by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. About 2,280 people in the Scott County are currently enrolled, many of whom are now getting substance abuse treatment.

A lack of health insurance was one of the first barriers to testing and treatment identified in Scott County, said Jeni OMalley, a spokesperson for the Indiana State Department of Health. HIP 2.0 helped address that gap and opened doors to medical care and treatment that have been life-changing for people living with HIV and hepatitis C.

Clients could get new needles as part of the needle-exchange program in Indiana in 2015. | AP Photo

Health insurance is pivotal for HIV patients, since their condition is chronic and requires consistent treatment and medication. And since the outbreak in Scott County was fueled by people contracting the infection by sharing needles, many were in need of robust substance abuse treatment services that are also covered through HIP 2.0.

The Affordable Care Act provided money to fully fund expanded Medicaid through 2016, but the share of the governments tab dips gradually to 90 percent by 2020. Under the law, eligibility was expanded to people earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $16,400 for an individual, and was no longer limited to pregnant women, children, or the disabled.

Pence put a conservative spin on the program by requiring enrollees to make monthly contributions $1 a month for many. But people with HIV and chronic substance abuse disorders are exempt from such contributions and also qualify for enhanced benefits such as vision, dental and nonemergency transportation. The plan covers outpatient services and case management programs that are essential for people with chronic conditions like HIV.

Now, health care providers and patient advocates are nervously watching the Obamacare repeal debate play out in Washington, worried about what might happen if HIP funding goes away and the laws coverage of mental health services is weakened.

We are currently in a panic about whats going to happen, said Jaymes Young, a medical case manager for The Damien Center, the largest AIDS service organization in the state.

A recent analysis by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation found that coverage for people with HIV increased significantly as a result of the law's Medicaid expansion.

Another study published in Health Affairs found that fewer uninsured HIV patients were hospitalized in states that had expanded Medicaid. In fact, between 2012 and the middle of 2014, the percentage of hospitalizations among uninsured HIV patients dropped from 13.7 percent to 5.5 percent since more people had coverage. Meanwhile, in states that didn't expand Medicaid, the percentage of hospitalizations for uninsured HIV patients rose from 14.5 percent to 15.7 percent.

Researchers also found that HIV patients without health insurance were nearly 40 percent more likely to die during their hospital stay, compared to those with health insurance.

To be sure, HIV-positive patients in Indiana may get coverage through other sources, including traditional Medicaid, insurance funded through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program and commercial coverage on the exchanges. But HIP 2.0 was particularly important for this population because it provides substance abuse and mental health treatment that includes case management and even non-emergency transportation to get people to doctors appointments and therapy sessions.

Pence, a longtime Obamacare foe who voted against its 2010 passage as a lawmaker, has assured people in his state that HIP 2.0 will remain even if the law is repealed, portraying it as an innovative state program that he suggests is unconnected to Obamacare.

In an op-ed published in the Indianapolis Star last year before he was tapped to be vice president, Pence said, HIP will exist after the ACA. though he conceded the program would be altered.

Of course, when Obamacare is repealed, there will need to be a transition period...allowing a new administration in Washington the ability to reform Medicaid and provide states even more flexibility to innovate and strengthen programs like HIP 2.0, Pence wrote.

The Trump administration and Republicans on Capitol Hill support making Medicaid a block grant program that would provide a set amount of funding to every state based on its number of enrollees. While federal spending would be capped, states would have more flexibility about how to spend the money.

Providers and caregivers in Indiana worry the switch will harm patients.

Hopefully the ACA stays, said Young of The Damien Center. It was complicated and imperfect but now were used to it. More changes will do damage to our clients.

Even Republican state lawmakers are concerned about change.

We've made great strides serving a very vulnerable, high-risk population with HIP 2.0, said state Rep. Ed Clere, who chaired the House health committee around the time of the HIV outbreak.

Clere added that he is open to block granting, but "it shouldn't limit access, It has to be for the right reasons. It cant just be about saving the federal government money."

The threat of Obamacare repeal comes even as Indiana officials are asking the Trump administration to tweak its own Medicaid expansion program. The updated waiver proposal vastly expands substance abuse treatment coverage to anyone in Medicaid and includes inpatient, as well as outpatient, treatment for substance abuse.

The expanded access we seek through this waiver extension will prove critical Pences successor, Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb, wrote in a letter to the Trump administration.

The waiver application, which was largely crafted by Seema Verma, Trumps pick to lead CMS, is expected to be approved. However, if the ACA is repealed, the programs future is unclear.

Its been a miracle for Indiana, said Susan Jo Thomas, the executive director at Covering Kids and Families of Indiana. I dont want to talk or think about the consequences of losing it. Its terrifying.

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Donald Trumps war on the press has been long. To supporters, its been funny. To everyone else, its been a terrifying attack on one of the most fundamental elements of our functioning democracy, which calls back to a similar discrediting that took place in Nazi Germany. Today, in a joint conference with NATOs secretary general,Jens Stoltenberg, Vice PresidentMike Pence tried to assuage those fears.

Rest assured boththe president and I strongly support both a free and independent press, he said, but you can anticipate that the president and all of us will continue to call out the media when they play fast and loose with the facts.

He went on to reference Trumps unique ability to speak directly to Americans. Was he talking about Trumps Twitter? Just this morning, Trump used his Twitter to communicate his thoughts on the FAKE NEWS media with the American people.

So, they respect the press but still plan to play offensively against it,claiming theyre actually on defense.

[image via screengrab]

Lindsey: Twitter. Facebook.

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Mike Pence: Trump and I Believe in a Free Press, 'But' - Mediaite

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla./BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump considered his options for a new national security adviser on Monday as his vice president, Mike Pence, said he had been disappointed by the actions of the man ousted from the job and supported his dismissal.

Trump asked for Michael Flynn's resignation on Feb. 13 after reports emerged that the retired lieutenant general misled Pence about having spoken to Russia's ambassador about U.S. sanctions before Trump's inauguration.

RELATED: Mike Pence at the Munich Security Conference

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Mike Pence at the Munich Security Conference

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U.S. Vice President Mike Pence gestures as he speaks at the 53rd Munich Security Conference (MCS) in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017. Pence sought to allay European concerns about the presidency of Donald Trump, using a speech in Munich to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to NATO and the European project. Photographer: Alex Kraus/Bloomberg via Getty Images

German Chancellor Angela Merkel poses for a picture with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence before their meeting at the 53rd Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Michael Dalder

MUNICH, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 18: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US Vice President Mike Pence (L) arrive at the 53rd Munich Security Conference (MSC) at Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, Germany, on Februrary 18, 2017. The annual event brings together government representatives and security experts from across the globe. (Photo by Andreas Gebert/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

US Vice President Michael Richard Pence (R) and Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani meet for bilateral talks at the 53rd Munich Security Conference (MSC) at the Bayerischer Hof hotel in Munich, southern Germany, on February 18, 2017. / AFP / THOMAS KIENZLE (Photo credit should read THOMAS KIENZLE/AFP/Getty Images)

MUNICH, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 18: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US Vice President Mike Pence arrive at the 53rd Munich Security Conference (MSC) at Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, Germany, on Februrary 18, 2017. The annual event brings together government representatives and security experts from across the globe. (Photo by Andreas Gebert/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, speaks at the 53rd Munich Security Conference (MCS) in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017. Pence sought to allay European concerns about the presidency of Donald Trump, using a speech in Munich to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to NATO and the European project. Photographer: Alex Kraus/Bloomberg via Getty Images

MUNICH, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 18: US Vice President Mike Pence talks with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, at the 53rd Munich Security Conference (MSC) at Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, Germany, on Februrary 18, 2017. The annual event brings together government representatives and security experts from across the globe. (Photo by Andreas Gebert/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence walks with members of his delegation ahead of bilateral talks during the 53rd Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Michael Dalder

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The ouster, coming so early in Trump's administration, was another upset in a White House that has been battered by miscues, including the controversial roll-out of a travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, since the Republican president took office on Jan. 20.

"I was disappointed to learn that the facts that have been conveyed to me by General Flynn were inaccurate," Pence told reporters during a visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Trump's call for Flynn to go "was the proper decision, it was handled properly and in a timely way," he said.

Trump, spending the weekend in West Palm Beach, Florida, interviewed four finalists to replace Flynn on Sunday and may meet with some of them again on Monday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters on Sunday.

RELATED: See the president at his recent Florida rally:

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U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump step from Air Force One to attend a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando-Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: People listen as President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

U.S. President Donald Trump applauds his crowd as he holds a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: President Donald Trump kisses his wife Melania Trump during a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

U.S. President Donald Trump smiles a as he holds a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

U.S. President Donald Trump invites a supporter onstage with him during a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: People attend a campaign rally for President Donald Trump at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

U.S. President Donald Trump kisses his wife Melania during a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

A supporter awaits the arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump for a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive for a rally on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. / AFP / Nicholas Kamm (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: President Donald Trump and Melania Trump are seen during a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump step from Air Force One as they arrive for a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

U.S. President Donald Trump hugs a supporter he invited onstage to speak during a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump acknowledge supporters during a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

U.S. President Donald Trump invites a supporter onstage with him during a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando-Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during his "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledges supporters during a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

US President Donald Trump listens as his wife, First Lady Melania Trump recites the Lord's Prayer during a rally in Melbourne, Florida on February 18, 2017. / AFP / NICHOLAS KAMM (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: People attend a campaign rally for President Donald Trump at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump addresses a rally at the Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. / AFP / Gregg Newton (Photo credit should read GREGG NEWTON/AFP/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: President Donald Trump is seen during a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump addresses a rally at the Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. / AFP / NICHOLAS KAMM (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: A woman shows off her middle fingers as she and others look on at the media during a campaign rally by President Donald Trump at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: President Donald Trump kisses his wife Melania Trump during a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: President Donald Trump and Melania Trump are seen during a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: President Donald Trump and Melania Trump stand together during a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

First Lady Melania Trump salutes the crowd after introducing her husband, US President Donald Trump at the start of a rally at the Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. / AFP / Gregg Newton (Photo credit should read GREGG NEWTON/AFP/Getty Images)

Supporters of US President Donald Trump hold signs during a rally on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. / AFP / Nicholas Kamm (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: Herb Planchock waits for the arrival of President Donald Trump for a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: Ken Temple waits for the arrival of President Donald Trump for a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: People wait for the arrival of President Donald Trump for a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: People wait for the arrival of President Donald Trump for a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Gary Snow of Jacksonville, Florida, a supporter of US.President Donald Trump, stages a lone vigil against anti-government protesters during a rally at the Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017. / AFP / Gregg Newton / Gregg Newton (Photo credit should read GREGG NEWTON/AFP/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: Billy Mauro waits for the arrival of President Donald Trump for a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Thousands of supporters of US President Donald Trump form a long queue for a rally at the Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017. / AFP / Gregg Newton / Gregg Newton (Photo credit should read GREGG NEWTON/AFP/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, FL - FEBRUARY 18: Robie Potts waits for the arrival of President Donald Trump for a campaign rally at the AeroMod International hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport on February 18, 2017 in Melbourne, Florida. President Trump is holding his rally as he continues to try to push his agenda through in Washington, DC. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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Those interviewed were acting adviser Keith Kellogg, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster and Lieutenant General Robert Caslen.

During his Brussels trip, Pence assured the European Union that the Trump administration would develop the bloc's cooperation in trade and security and backed the EU as a partner in its own right, seeking to soothe anxiety prompted by Trump's remarks a month ago renewing his endorsement of Brexit and suggesting that others might follow Britain out of the EU.

At the news conference, Pence also defended Trump's repeated and strong criticisms of the news media. In a Twitter message on Saturday, Trump called the media "the enemy of the American people."

"The president and I both strongly support a free and independent press but you can anticipate that the president and all of us will continue to call out the media when they play fast and loose with the facts," Pence said.

Trump himself has been continually cited by various media for misstating facts. For instance, in his news conference last week Trump said his margin of victory in the Electoral College in November was the largest ever since fellow Republican Ronald Reagan was elected in 1980 and 1984.

In fact, however, Democratic President Barack Obama, in both of his victories, and Republican President George H.W. Bush drew more electoral votes than did Trump.

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Trump weighs security adviser options; Pence 'disappointed' by Flynn - AOL News

With the world looking for reassurance from President Donald Trumps administration about the United States role in international organizations and its place on the world stage, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) said Sunday that U.S. allies feel better on that front after Vice President Mike Pences speech in Munich.

A lot of people over here believe its going back to 20s and 30s isolationism where America sort of retreats from the region, Graham said of the presidents America first rhetoric. Vice President Pences speech was terrific. Were going to be more involved in NATO, not less. Were going to have more troops supporting our friends in Europe against aggression by Russia, so I think they feel much better after hearing Vice President Pence and Mattis.

Graham, speaking to Face the Nation from Munich, was in Germany for the annual Munich Security Conference. On Saturday, Pence told the gathering of foreign leaders and security experts that the U.S. strongly supports NATO and will hold Russia accountable for its actions.

Graham said accountability for Russia should begin with strong sanctions, and also includes helping U.S. allies -- particularly in the Baltics -- to resist moves of aggression from Russia.

Hit Russia hard for trying to break the backbone of democracy and be more supportive of our friends, Graham said. Thats what Im -- thats what Im looking for.

Russia has become more aggressive toward the rest of the world since the U.S. election in November, Graham added.

Russia has interfered in every democracy in their backyard. Theyre coming after the French and the Germans, he said. They tried to interfere in our election even though they didnt change the outcome. The bottom line is it is now time to punish Russia for trying to break the backbone of democracy for interfering in our election and my goal is to put sanctions on Russia based on interfering in our election on President Trumps desk.

He criticized Mr. Trumps response to Russia, saying he has never shown any real willingness to condemn Russias election interference.

If we forgive and forget about what Russia did in our own election, well invite aggression in the next election by Chinese and the Iranians, he said. It was Democrats this time. It could be Republicans next time.

One month into the Trump presidency, Graham said the administration has done some good things -- like approving the Keystone XL pipeline -- and some things that did not go very well, like the rollout of the travel ban. But ultimately, Graham said, he is feeling better about the strong team Mr. Trump has surrounded himself with.

Heres what Im feeling better about: the people around President Trump. His Cabinet is terrific in terms of quality: Mattis, Tillerson, General Kelly, he said. We need to get a good national security advisor. Reince Priebus, Ive known him for years, he has a good relationship with the Hill. So hes got a good team around him, they have stumbled. But lets just wait and see what this year holds.

Graham also criticized Mr. Trump for calling the media enemies of the American people, but said the media overplays its hand when it comes to covering the Trump White House.

The backbone of democracy is a free press and and independent judiciary and theyre worth fighting and dying for, he said.

But I would say this to the American press corps: When it comes to Trump, youre over the top, he continued. Youre acting more like an opposition party. Every president has had problems with the press. You need to do your job but from a Republican point of view, I think the coverage against President Trump has been almost to the point of being hysterical.

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Lindsey Graham: US allies feel better after Mike Pence reassurances in Munich - CBS News