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Saturday, January 28, 2017, 2:47 PM

Vice President Mike Pence sneered at the the thought of a Muslim ban, calling it offensive and unconstitutional just one year before he applauded as one was announced Friday.

The former Indiana governor smiled and clapped his hands at a Friday ceremony where President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. for the next 90 days.

As Trump explained the order, saying it is meant to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America, Pence stood by his side and nodded in agreement.

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But in December 2015 long before he was named Trumps running mate Pence condemned his future boss initial call to close off the nations borders to all Muslim travelers, immigrants and refugees.

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Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional, he tweeted.

He elaborated on his comments while speaking to reporters later the same day.

"The United States cannot, and should not discriminate on the basis or religion," he said."The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of our constitutional guarantees for all persons in this country.

Trumps 2015 proposal was markedly more aggressive, targeting all Muslims regardless of their home countries.

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However critics were quick to point out Pences hypocrisy: While the new executive order only bars travelers from seven foreign nations, the blocked countries are all predominantly Muslim. Additionally, while Trump billed the ban as an anti-terrorism tactic, the blacklist does not include several nations with deep-seeded ties to terror notably, four countries Trump has business ties to.

Pence wasnt the only Republican who appears to have back-peddled on the idea of barring Muslims from entering the U.S.

In 2015, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan condemned Trumps proposed blanket Muslim ban.

"This is not who we are as a party or a country," he said at a closed-door meeting, according to the Hill.

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Ryan again scoffed at the idea last June.

"I do not think a Muslim ban is in our country's interest," he said at a press conference. "I do not think it is reflective of our principles, not just as a party, but as a country.

But on Friday, Ryan praised Trumps executive order keeping millions of travelers and migrants from stepping foot on American soil.

"Our number one responsibility is to protect the homeland. We are a compassionate nation, and I support the refugee resettlement program, but it's time to re-evaluate and strengthen the visa-vetting process," Ryan said in a statement, adding, "President Trump is right to make sure we are doing everything possible to know exactly who is entering our country."

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Mike Pence once called Muslim ban 'offensive ...