Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Mike Braun

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Mike Braun.

Michael "Mike" Braun is an American politician and businessman who has served as the 52nd Governor of Indiana since 2025. Prior to his governorship, Braun represented Indiana in the United States Senate from 2019 to 2025. His political career also includes a stint in the Indiana House of Representatives, where he represented the 63rd district from 2014 to 2017. Before entering politics, Braun was involved in business.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2015: Opposed Paris Climate Agreement

In 2015, Michael Braun opposed the Paris climate change agreement.

July 2018: Called for Attorney General's Resignation

In July 2018, Michael Braun called for the Indiana Attorney General, Republican Curtis Hill, to resign due to allegations of groping.

2018: Opposed the Affordable Care Act

During his 2018 Senate campaign, Michael Braun criticized incumbent Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly as a "defender of Obamacare" and opposed the Affordable Care Act.

October 2019: Supported Trump's Syria Decision

In October 2019, Michael Braun supported Trump's decision to withdraw American troops from northern Syria and questioned U.S. involvement in the conflict between Turkey and the Kurds.

December 2019: Called Impeachment a Disaster for Democrats

In December 2019, Michael Braun stated that the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump had been a "disaster for Democrats."

2019: Campaign Beneficiary of PAC Spending

In late 2019, it was reported that Michael Braun's 2018 campaign benefited from significant spending by a political action committee with ties to Lev Parnas.

January 2020: Photographs Released

In January 2020, photographs of Michael Braun and Lev Parnas were made public as part of the impeachment proceedings against President Trump.

April 2020: White House Recommendation Release

In April 2020, the White House released recommendations related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

May 2020: Blocked Resolution on CDC Guidance

In May 2020, Michael Braun blocked Senator Chuck Schumer's resolution to release the CDC's guidance on lifting COVID-19 restrictions, citing concerns about hindering the economy.

June 2020: Introduced Legislation to Reform Qualified Immunity

In June 2020, Mike Braun introduced legislation aimed at reforming qualified immunity following the murder of George Floyd. The proposed legislation sought to make it easier to sue police officers for rights violations.

November 2020: Refused to Acknowledge Trump's Defeat

After Joe Biden defeated Trump in the November 2020 election, Michael Braun refused to acknowledge Trump's defeat and promoted false claims of election fraud.

2020: Contested 2020 Election Results

Following the 2020 presidential election, Michael Braun defended and joined in Trump's attempt to overturn the election results, but later reversed himself after the Capitol attack.

January 2, 2021: Announced Objection to Electoral Votes

On January 2, 2021, Michael Braun, along with other Republican senators, announced that he would vote against counting the electoral votes from several states won by Biden.

May 2021: Opposed Reform to Qualified Immunity

In May 2021, Mike Braun publicly stated his opposition to any reform of the current doctrine of qualified immunity and opposed federal efforts to reform local police departments, reversing his stance from the previous year.

May 28, 2021: Abstained from Voting on Capitol Commission

On May 28, 2021, Michael Braun abstained from voting on the creation of an independent commission to investigate the January 6 storming of the Capitol.

September 2021: Opposed COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

In September 2021, Mike Braun opposed the planned COVID-19 vaccine mandate for companies with more than 100 employees, calling it the "biggest overreach by federal government I've seen". He authored the Senate disapproval resolution challenging President Biden's OSHA vaccine mandate for businesses.

October 2021: Invited Suspended Chicago Police Officers to Work in Indiana

In October 2021, Mike Braun invited Chicago police officers who were suspended for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to work in Indiana, stating that "plenty of departments are hiring now".

March 2022: Comments on Roe v. Wade and Interracial Marriage

In March 2022, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for Ketanji Brown Jackson, Mike Braun stated that Roe v. Wade was a case of "judicial activism". He then suggested that decisions on interracial marriage should be left to the states, but later retracted the statement.

2022: Expressed support for overturning Roe v. Wade

In 2022, Michael Braun tweeted in support of overturning Roe v. Wade.

January 2024: Voted Against Resolution on Aid to Israel

In January 2024, Michael Braun voted against a resolution to apply human rights provisions to U.S. aid to Israel's military.

September 30, 2024: Campaign Ad Controversy

On September 30, 2024, the Braun for Governor campaign released an ad containing an altered image of his opponent Jennifer McCormick, prompting legal concerns and a subsequent update with a disclaimer.

February 2025: Declined Support for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

In February 2025, Mike Braun declined to support a state 50% match for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, leading to concerns about the program's funding.