Mitt Romney Says He May Decline 2020 Presidential Endorsement

Samuel Allegri
By Samuel Allegri
June 8, 2019Politics
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Mitt Romney Says He May Decline 2020 Presidential Endorsement
Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney delivers a speech criticizing current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Salt Lake City, Utah, on March 3, 2016. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Utah Senator Mitt Romney said on June 7 that he is not sure if he will endorse President Donald Trump for the second term and that he won’t necessarily support anyone during the 2020 campaign.

The former Republican presidential candidate told reporters, “I don’t think endorsements are worth a thimble of spit,” adding, “I wouldn’t be surprised if I stay out of the endorsements.”

The Utah senator thinks that it’s very likely that Trump wins the 2020 election due to the current strong economy, albeit “it’s not a sure thing.” He thinks it’s still too early for endorsements.

Romney has been one of the keenest critics from the GOP of Donald Trump on occasion, nevertheless supporting him on other issues. Trump endorsed Romney’s run for Senate.

Romney was against the president’s plan to apply tariffs on Mexico as a strategy to curb the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States.

The president had set a deadline on Monday to enforce the tariffs, however, the United States and Mexico reached a deal on Friday to avert them.

Senator Mitt Romney
Sen. Mitt Romney speaks to reporters near the Senate Subway on Capitol Hill on Jan. 24, 2019. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

Many businesses and Republicans had expressed that Trump should reassess the proposal, which could potentially have huge economic consequences for both countries.

Romney is in the same line of thinking as the aforementioned, “Punishing Mexico in some way is, in my opinion, a very bad idea. It’s also expensive for Americans,” he said.

On the other hand, the senator was supportive of Trump’s imposition of tariffs on China, saying that they have been violating international free-trade rules.

“President Trump was right to push back hard on China, and I support that effort,” he said.

He also warned about underestimating China, saying that they are increasingly innovative on technologies such as A.I. He said he would have instead assembled an alliance to present a united front to China.

“I don’t think there’s much recognition in the United States about the long-term issues with China,” he said during a speech at the E2 Summit. “We haven’t laid out a real comprehensive strategy to say, ‘How do we up our game dramatically?'”

Amash Gets Republican Primary Challenge 2 Days After Calling for Trump’s Impeachment

A Michigan state lawmaker swiftly filed a Republican primary challenge to Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) on May 20, just two days after Amash became the first Republican congressman to call for the impeachment of President Donald Trump.

State Rep. Jim Lower (R-Mich.) launched a campaign for Congress on May 20 complete with a website calling for donations.

“Congressman Justin Amash tweets yesterday calling for President Trump’s impeachment show how out of touch he is with the truth and how out of touch he is with people he represents,” Lower said in a statement on his campaign website.

“Amash has not only failed to support President Trump as the President works to make the United States stronger and safer, he has now united with radical liberals like Democratic Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) to try and bring down our President. He must be replaced and I am going to do it,” Lower added.

Amash made headlines on May 18 with a series of messages on Twitter accusing Trump of “impeachable conduct” and calling on Congress to impeach the president. Amash is the only Republican to have called for the president’s impeachment.

Amash said he came to his conclusion after reading the report by special counsel Robert Mueller. The special counsel’s report concluded there is not enough evidence to establish that Trump or anyone on his campaign colluded with Russia. Mueller also decided against filing an obstruction of justice charge against the president.

Amash also accused Attorney General William Barr of intentionally misrepresenting the findings of the Mueller report.

No Republican joined Amash’s call for impeachment. Sen. Mitt Romney, a prominent anti-Trump Republican, said he and Amash didn’t come to the same conclusions. Top Republicans also criticized Amash.

Epoch Times reporter Ivan Pentchoukov and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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