When Pence was asked about this by ABC News' David Muir, there was a long silence before he said: "It angered me."
He continued: "But I turned to my daughter who was standing nearby, and I said, 'It doesn't take courage to break the law. It takes courage to uphold the law.'
"The president's words were reckless. It's clear he decided to be part of the problem."
The claim made by Liebengood's family is the first to be granted a line-of-duty designation under the law, the Washington Post reported. While it's unclear how much of a death benefit will be paid to the surviving family, the ruling marks a historic step in recognizing law enforcement suicide deaths as work-related.