WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 25: Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) attends the confirmation hearing for Vivek Murthy and Rachel Levine before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee February 25, 2021 on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. Murthy is nominated to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service ands U.S. Surgeon General and Levine is nominated to be Assistant Secretary in the Department of Health and Human Services. (Photo by Caroline Brehman-Pool/Getty Images)
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said that it was “really appalling” that former President Donald Trump would lobby against the passing of a bipartisan border security bill being negotiated in the Senate.
A $100 billion spending package that would offer to fund for Ukraine, Israel and the United States southern border ground to a halt after Republicans demanded more border security measures. A bipartisan group of senators have been working for weeks to reach a comprise bill.
Romney made his comment after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell cooled to the bill after Trump voiced his opposition.
“It was hard for me to see what Leader McConnell was suggesting,” Romney told CNN. “He seemed to be of two minds in the conversation.”
“But reading the reports this morning, and the fact that he hasn’t corrected them, suggests he is inclined to listen to what former President Trump wants, and former President Trump has indicated to senators that he does not want us to solve the problem at the border,” the Utah senator added. “He wants to lay the blame for the border at [President Joe] Biden.”
“And the idea that someone running for president would say, ‘Please hurt the country, so I can blame the opponent and help my politics’ is a shocking development,” he shared.
“Do you think this is what he wants – the issue – Donald Trump – this is why he’s doing this,” the reporter asked him.
“I think the border is a very important issue for Donald Trump,” Romney replied. “And the fact that he would communicate to Republican senators and congresspeople that he doesn’t want us to solve the border problem because he wants to blame Biden for it is really appalling.”
“What does that say – that what he is saying carries weight here,” the reporter then asked. “What does it say that Republicans are listening to – .”
“Well what – shocking – that politics plays a role in this building – absolutely shocking,” Romney responded sarcastically after cutting the correspondent off. “I can’t imagine that’s the case.”
“Ukraine is on the line,” the reporter said.
“But the reality is that that we have a crisis at the border,” Romney warned. “The American people are suffering as a result of what’s happening at the border. And someone running for president ought to try and get the problem solved, as opposed to saying, ‘Hey, save that problem. Don’t solve it. Let me take credit for solving it later.'”
“Well clearly – our meeting yesterday – there was overwhelming support for Ukraine,” the senator said reassuringly. “There were a few people who said, ‘Hey, let’s not provide additional funding,’ and gave their reasons. But the great majority of those who spoke were in favor of supporting Ukraine, and felt there was a need in American interest to push back as we can against Russia, to make sure Russia doesn’t keep doing this further – and by the way – going into NATO nations, it could draw us into war.”
Last week, Trump expressed his view on the bill on Truth Social.
“I do not think we should do a Border Deal, at all, unless we get EVERYTHING needed to shut down the INVASION of Millions & Millions of people, many from parts unknown, into our once great, but soon to be great again, Country,” Trump wrote.
“Also, I have no doubt that our wonderful Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, will only make a deal that is PERFECT ON THE BORDER,” Trump then mentioned. “Remember, without Strong Borders and Honest Elections, we don’t have a Country!!!”
In November, Romney stated, during an interview with CBS News, that he would vote for a Democrat over Trump or Vivek Ramaswamy in the 2024 presidential election.
In January, Romney told CNN that Trump supporters are “out of touch with reality” for not caring that the former president sexually assaulted columnist E. Jean Carroll and for denying that Biden was fairly elected.
He observed that Trump is getting stronger now that supporters have lost faith in American institutions like the media and the judicial system.
https://youtu.be/aTcWp5QpDWQ Emergency crews from two agencies rescued a hiker clinging to the side of a…
https://youtu.be/aKLnXehYRpc The viral duct-taped banana artwork by Maurizio Cattelan sold for $6.2 million during a…
Martha Stewart rejoiced in falsely claiming Andrea Peyser, a New York Post columnist who covered…
Joe Exotic, the star of the cult reality series Tiger King, begged President-elect Donald Trump…
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are expected to battle it out in court next year…
Filmed through two different timelines, George reflected on the thriller series’ unusual narrative and what…