At Gov. Ron DeSantis's (R-FL) urging, Florida Republicans are eagerly drafting a bill to expand the scope of defamation law. But not everyone in the conservative movement is a fan.

During an exclusive interview with the Washington Examiner, former Vice President Mike Pence made clear that he was not thrilled about challenging New York Times v. Sullivan, the Supreme Court case establishing the actual malice standard for defamation of public figures.

"Well, let me just say in the broadest sense, I believe a free and independent press is a bulwark of our nation," Pence said. "From my years in Congress, as a governor and, I trust, as vice president, we've worked to preserve the ability of the media, however maddening it can be from time to time, we’ve worked hard to preserve the freedom of the press to thrive in America. I would hold to the view that any effort to intrude upon that would not be in the interest of the nation."

Under current law, the actual malice standard requires a defendant to make a knowingly false statement or have a reckless disregard for the truth when making a defamatory statement about a public figure.

"I've helped found and co-chair the world Free Press caucus when I was a member of Congress," Pence, who served in Congress and as the governor of Indiana prior to becoming former President Donald Trump's vice president, said. "I’ll always be a champion of a free and independent press, and I trust that the conservative majority on the Supreme Court of the United States will preserve our First Amendment."

While Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has called for the nation's highest bench to reconsider Sullivan, former Attorney General William Barr and other prominent Republican lawyers have opposed the push to expand the scope of defamation law.