Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” expressed his concerns about former President Donald Trump‘s potential return to power. Romney, known for his willingness to publicly criticize Trump, described the former president as someone who would “impose his will” on the nation’s judicial and legislative branches if re-elected.
Romney’s remarks come in the wake of Trump’s comment last week about acting as a dictator “only on day one,” which some Republicans dismissed as just another Trumpian quip.However, Romney sees it as indicative of Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. He highlighted Trump’s call for supporters to come toWashington, DC, on January 6, the day of the peaceful transfer of power, as a deliberate act reflecting these tendencies.
Describing Trump as a “human gumball machine,” Romney said, “A thought or a notion comes in and it comes out of his mouth. There’s not a lot of filter that goes on. … He just says whatever. I don’t attach an enormous amount of impact to the particular words that come out.”
Romney, who announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election in 2024, has become one of the few Republicans in Congress openly critical of Trump. Many of Trump’s other critics have either retired or been ousted by candidates supported by Trump and his MAGA base.
In 2020, Romney was the only Senate Republican to vote to impeach Trump during his first trial, positioning him as somewhat of an outsider in his caucus. Regarding the 2024 presidential election, he joked that his endorsement would be the “kiss of death” for any candidate, though he didn’t rule out supporting President Joe Biden. He expressed a preference for Senator Joe Manchin, but doesn’t expect Manchin to enter the race, saying, “I wish he would.”
Romney’s comments reflect the ongoing divisions within the Republican Party and underscore the challenges the party faces as it approaches the 2024 presidential election.
While Romney has not endorsed any candidate yet, he commended former New Jersey governor Chris Christie for his performance in the race, noting that Christie’s involvement has prevented Trump from participating in GOP debates. Romney also acknowledged former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, considering her the only candidate with a realistic chance of securing the nomination besides Trump, though he admitted it’s still a “long shot.”
Regarding President Biden’s re-election campaign, Romney suggested that there are “a couple of other Democrats” who might be better choices than Biden.
Romney’s remarks come in the wake of Trump’s comment last week about acting as a dictator “only on day one,” which some Republicans dismissed as just another Trumpian quip.However, Romney sees it as indicative of Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. He highlighted Trump’s call for supporters to come toWashington, DC, on January 6, the day of the peaceful transfer of power, as a deliberate act reflecting these tendencies.
Describing Trump as a “human gumball machine,” Romney said, “A thought or a notion comes in and it comes out of his mouth. There’s not a lot of filter that goes on. … He just says whatever. I don’t attach an enormous amount of impact to the particular words that come out.”
Romney, who announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election in 2024, has become one of the few Republicans in Congress openly critical of Trump. Many of Trump’s other critics have either retired or been ousted by candidates supported by Trump and his MAGA base.
In 2020, Romney was the only Senate Republican to vote to impeach Trump during his first trial, positioning him as somewhat of an outsider in his caucus. Regarding the 2024 presidential election, he joked that his endorsement would be the “kiss of death” for any candidate, though he didn’t rule out supporting President Joe Biden. He expressed a preference for Senator Joe Manchin, but doesn’t expect Manchin to enter the race, saying, “I wish he would.”
Romney’s comments reflect the ongoing divisions within the Republican Party and underscore the challenges the party faces as it approaches the 2024 presidential election.
While Romney has not endorsed any candidate yet, he commended former New Jersey governor Chris Christie for his performance in the race, noting that Christie’s involvement has prevented Trump from participating in GOP debates. Romney also acknowledged former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, considering her the only candidate with a realistic chance of securing the nomination besides Trump, though he admitted it’s still a “long shot.”
Regarding President Biden’s re-election campaign, Romney suggested that there are “a couple of other Democrats” who might be better choices than Biden.