Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney slammed Donald Trump on Thursday as “a phony” and “a fraud,” urging fellow Republicans to disavow the real estate magnate’s bid for the White House.
“His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University,” Romney said at the University of Utah. “He’s playing the American public for suckers. He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat.”
Romney went on to make the case against Trump’s increasingly likely nomination, arguing that it would hurt the Republican Party and ultimately mean a loss to Hillary Clinton in the general election. Romney’s speech represents a larger effort by Republican leaders to put an end to Trump’s momentum.
The blistering remarks, which took aim at Trump’s economic promises, foreign policy plans, and character, come just two days after Trump’s overwhelming Super Tuesday victories in the Republican primaries.
“Dishonesty is Donald Trump’s hallmark,” Romney told the crowd.
Responding to excerpts of the speech that were released early, Trump hit back at the former Massachusetts governor with the following tweets, including a reminder that Romney embraced Trump’s support back when Romney was running for president:
I am the only one who can beat Hillary Clinton. I am not a Mitt Romney, who doesn’t know how to win. Hillary wants no part of “Trump”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2016
Why did Mitt Romney BEG me for my endorsement four years ago?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2016
In his speech, Romney referred to these tweets as an example of Trump’s lack of “suitability” to be president. He somehow neglected to mention any of this when he accepted Trump’s endorsement back in 2012.
