Who Is The Real Phony? Mitt Romney Bashes Trump Presidential Bid But Praised Trump’s Endorsement In 2012
Mitt Romney vocalized his utter disdain for the GOP front-runner Donald Trump in a highly publicized speech this morning from Utah. The former presidential candidate, who lost to President Obama in the 2012 elections, claimed Trump is a “phony” and “a fraud” who is “very very not smart.” However, the scathing speech was in sharp contrast to Romney’s showering of praise on Trump just four years ago as Romney touted a presidential endorsement from the business mogul. In 2012, as Donald Trump offered his public endorsement of Mitt Romney’s presidential bid, Romney praised Trump for his knowledge on the economy and for being a highly successful businessman with a strong record as a job creator.
Mitt Romney has made it publicly known that he does not support a Trump presidency. The former presidential contender and GOP establishment figurehead noted in a speech this morning that Trump would be a disaster for the economy and foreign relations. Romney called for Republicans across America to consider voting for anyone but Trump, saying he is not going to endorse another candidate at this time. Instead, he wants to speak out about the problems a Trump presidency would create for our great nation. However, these statements were in stark contrast to statements made by Romney just four years ago while praising Trump as a job creator and successful businessman.
You can watch Romney’s 2016 speech regarding the horror of a Trump presidency below.
Romney called out Trump as a “phony” and “a fraud,” pointing to failed Trump ventures like Trump Airlines and Trump Vodka as examples of the businessman’s poor business choices. Romney goes so far as to say that “a business genius he is not” in regards to Trump’s touted business and negotiation skills.
“But wait, you say, isn’t he a huge business success that knows what he’s talking about? No he isn’t. His bankruptcies have crushed small businesses and the men and women who worked for them. He inherited his business, he didn’t create it. And what ever happened to Trump Airlines? How about Trump University? And then there’s Trump Magazine and Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks, and Trump Mortgage? A business genius he is not.”
Romney claims that Trump would run the country like his businesses, which means the economy would enter a prolonged recession and fail miserably just like Trump Vodka. However, if we take a step back into the past just four years ago, Mitt Romney was singing an entirely different tune, calling Trump a man that “has an extraordinary ability to understand how the economy works” and touted him as being a notable “job creator” for the American economy. These statements were made by Romney after Donald Trump endorsed his 2012 presidential bid.
“Donald Trump has shown an extraordinary ability to understand how our economy works, it means a great deal to me to have the endorsement of Mr. Trump.”
Watch the Donald Trump endorsement of Mitt Romney from 2012 below, when Romney himself notes he is “not as successful as this man,” but successful nonetheless, and claims Trump knows the economy.
In the video, Romney praises Trump and suggests that Trump is one of the few people who would stand up to China and that he doesn’t believe in allowing people to “cheat day in and day out.” Romney even took to Twitter to thank Donald Trump for helping him win the Nevada primaries.
Thanks for your help in the NV victory MT @RealDonaldTrump Let’s make @BarackObama a one term president http://t.co/S29azx4I #OneTermFund
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) February 6, 2012
Fast forward to 2016 as Romney attempts to persuade the American public that Trump is a fraudster who will destroy the American economy and doesn’t have an inkling of understanding about how to keep the American economy afloat.
“Let me put it plainly, if we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished. Here’s what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. 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.”
However, as Mitt Romney takes jabs at Donald Trump despite being “honored” by his endorsement in 2012, Trump isn’t remaining quiet. In true Trump fashion, the business mogul has called out Romney on his own “phony” behavior, asking why he begged for his endorsement in 2012. He also reminded Republican voters that Romney lost to Obama and “doesn’t know how to win.”
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
Do you believe that Trump is “very very not smart” when it comes to economic development and job growth or do you, as you said in 2012, believe he “has an extraordinary ability to understand how our economy works?”
[Photo by MediaPunch Standard/AP]
