Meet the 11-Year-Old Trump Fan Who Grilled Pence for 'Softening Up on Mr. Trump's Policies and Words'
He put the vice presidential candidate on the spot during a town hall.
— -- Meet Matthew Schricker, an 11-year-old Republican who's one of Donald Trump's biggest -- and youngest -- fans.
Schricker made headlines on Thursday when he put Mike Pence, Trump's vice presidential nominee, on the spot during a town hall in Raleigh, North Carolina.
"I've been noticing that you've been softening up on Mr. Trump's policies and words. Is this going to be your role in the administration?" Schricker told Pence in front of more than 300 people in the audience.
Pence appeared to be taken aback at first but then pointed to Schricker and said, "Now, this boy's got a future."
The Republican vice presidential nominee then told Shricker that "differences in style should never be confused with differences in conviction." He added that he "couldn't be more proud to stand with Donald Trump shoulder to shoulder."
After the town hall, ABC-owned station WTVD caught up with the sixth-grader.
Shricker was wearing his private school uniform and carrying a sign with Trump's slogan, "Make America Great Again." A big Trump button adorned his blazer.
The 11-year-old told WTVD that no presidential candidate "was exactly representing me" until "Donald Trump came along."
He explained that he believed Trump's outspokenness was something the U.S. needs.
"It's almost like a wildfire," Schricker said. "After a wildfire happens, the forest is burned down -- that's basically like Trump insulting a lot of people. But after that, the forest regrows. It flourishes better than ever before."
The 11-year-old added that he supports many of Trump's controversial proposals, including building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and imposing a ban on some Muslims.
There's "so many people that have been killed by illegal immigrants," he said.
Schricker's parents told WTVD they weren't concerned about their son's fondness for Trump and that they liked debating politics with him.
"We enjoy arguing with him and discussing politics with him when he wants to discuss it -- which seems to be always," his dad, Dr. Paul Schricker, said. "We obviously are concerned about any of our children becoming too right wing or left wing. So that's why we try to expose them to different viewpoints."
Though Pence suggested that young boy could possibly became governor of North Carolina one day, the 11-year-old said he wants to be a lawyer when he grows up ... though he wouldn't rule out a run for office.
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