The Story:
In recent weeks Mitt Romney, a rookie Senator (elected from Utah in 2018) but long a prominent Republican and in 2012 that party’s nominee for President, has been increasingly outspoken about his differences with the incumbent President, Donald Trump.
The Differences:
Romney considers it “appalling” that the President has asked officials in the Ukraine and in the People’s Republic of China to investigate Trump’s political foes and their families.
Romney regrets that under Trump, US foreign policy is “so weak and inept” that the country’s hand can be forced by Turkey, and that “the administration did not explain in advance to Erdogan that it’s unacceptable for Turkey to attack an American ally [the Kurds in Syria.]”
He has also said that Trump’s character falls short of what Americans are entitled to expect from a President.
Romney has refused to endorse Trump’s expected renomination in 2020, and this has allowed for rumors that he may be open to challenging that renomination.
The Thing to Know:
Romney has, at least for now, kept his distance from the impeachment process, saying that he has not spoken with a single fellow Senator about the subject. Should the House of Representatives vote to impeach, though, the Senate will be the jury, and Romney a juror.
