Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) took a shot at former President Donald Trump and criticized him for his lack of “leadership” during his Wednesday announcement that he is not seeking reelection in 2024.
Romney criticized Trump for calling “global warming a hoax” in a video statement he released. Romney also said, “neither President Biden nor former President Trump are leading their party to confront” the “critical challenges” facing the country like the “mounting national debt, climate change, and the ambitious authoritarians of Russia and China.”
“President Biden underinvests in the military and President Trump underinvests in our alliances,” Romney added. “Political motivations too often impede the solutions that these challenges demand.”
Romney later told Politico that, although he is “not a Biden supporter,” he “can’t vote for Donald Trump.”
U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in the final presidential debate at Belmont University on October 22, 2020, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Trump celebrated news of Romney’s decision not to run for reelection, posting on Truth Social:
FANTASTIC NEWS FOR AMERICA,THE GREAT STATE OF UTAH, & FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. MITT ROMNEY, SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS PIERRE DELECTO, WILL NOT BE SEEKING A SECOND TERM IN THE U.S. SENATE, WHERE HE DID NOT SERVE WITH DISTINCTION. A BIG PRIMARY FIGHT AGAINST HIM WAS IN THE OFFING, BUT NOW THAT WILL NOT BE NECESSARY. CONGRATS TO ALL. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
“I don’t see the leadership coming from either person,” Romney told Politico. “Now, I may kick myself if we end up nominating someone in my party besides Trump”
The Utah senator also claimed his generation is “pulling the wool over the generation of the younger people” by increasing the national debt.
Romney was interrupted five minutes into his interview with Politico by a call from President Joe Biden.
“There are certain calls you do have to take,” Romney said after “speaking with the president for what sounded like a friendly and upbeat conversation,” according to the outlet.
Jordan Dixon-Hamilton is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at
