Mike Pence: Misstating The Location And Direction Of Our Aircraft Carrier Strike Group Wasn’t Intentional

Politico reports:

Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday that misstatements about the location of a U.S. aircraft carrier supposedly on its way to the waters off the Korean peninsula were not made intentionally.

Earlier this month, White House and Pentagon officials announced that the USS Carl Vinson and its accompanying battle group had been deployed off the coast of the Korean peninsula, a response to a missile test launched by North Korea.

But on Monday, Defense News reported that the Carl Vinson was nowhere near the Korean peninsula and had instead been photographed near Indonesia.

Asked during an interview with CNN if the misstatements from White House and Pentagon officials had been intentional, Pence replied “oh, I think not” and noted the already strong U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, including in Japan and South Korea.

He did not offer an explanation as to why government officials had said the Carl Vinson was steaming for the Sea of Japan when it was not.