Pence reportedly speaks 'very favorably' of Trump in GOP meeting and intends to launch a new political organization

• Mike Pence has reportedly kept a close personal relationship with Donald Trump.
• In a meeting with conservatives, Pence expressed no bad feelings towards Trump over the Jan. 6 riot.
• Pence will launch an organization that will defend the former administration's record.

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday told several conservative lawmakers that he has kept a tight personal friendship with former President Donald Trump and that he intends to start a political organization that will protect the legacy of the former administration, according to a CNN report.

Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana, chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, confirmed the meeting to CNN, saying that the group met in Pence's Washington DC-area transition office to discuss past achievements and the party's future.

Pence reportedly had "no ill will" towards Trump over the deadly January 6 Capitol riot, when insurrectionists breached the historic building and the former vice president and his family had to be ushered to a secure location to maintain their safety.

Banks told CNN that Trump's actions before the riot, which led to his impeachment by the US House for inciting an insurrection, were not mentioned during the talk.

"He spoke very favorably about his relationship with President Trump," Banks said. "I got the sense they speak often and maintain the same personal friendship and relationship now that they have for four years."

Marc Short, who served as chief of staff to Pence, said on Saturday that the former vice president and Trump "departed amicably" from the White House last month.

The relationship between Pence and Trump has been the source of much speculation after the former president's intense and unsuccessful pressure campaign for the former vice president to reject last month's Electoral College certification of President Joe Biden's victory.

Banks said that Pence, who reportedly declined to speak at this week's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) meeting in an attempt to remain out of the spotlight for several more months, will have an increased presence as the months roll by.

"He'll be launching an organization defending the successful Trump-Pence record of the last four years," he said.