Mitt Romney: Donald Trump is a Fraud and a Pretender

Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee for the 2012 presidential election, entered the heated discussions regarding the party's candidate for the upcoming election on Thursday, March 4, urging Republicans to reject Donald Trump for the sake of the country's and the party's interests. According to the Associated Press, Mr. Romney described Donald Trump as a "fraud and a pretender" in his speech at the University of Utah, stating, "His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University." In response, Donald Trump labeled Mr. Romney as "selfish," claiming he "didn't know what to do" and squandered his chance to defeat Barack Obama in the 2012 election. Trump added, "People draw energy from my words, and more of them participate in voting." Mitt Romney is one of the prominent leaders of the Republican Party who has recently been trying to prevent Donald Trump's advance in the party's nomination voting. However, many of Trump's supporters view figures like Mitt Romney as part of the political elite they distrust. Romney stated, "As far as I know, Donald Trump is a fraud and a pretender." It is unclear how much Romney's words will influence Republican voters. He did not endorse any of Trump's rivals. Four years ago during Romney's campaign, he and Donald Trump stood side by side at a meeting in Las Vegas. At that meeting, Trump said supporting Romney's candidacy was a great honor for him; Romney also praised Trump's abilities in understanding the country's economic situation and creating jobs for Americans. In his remarks on Thursday, Romney stated that if Donald Trump remains the Republican Party's main candidate, Hillary Clinton will surely win the presidential election. He added, "Donald Trump lacks the spirit and judgment necessary for the presidency." Republican Party leaders say they still have options to prevent Trump from securing the party's nomination, but these options do not seem very appealing. They face difficulties regarding the popularity of each of the party's candidates and are even said to be considering an unprecedented solution, such as supporting an independent candidate. In this context, Donald Trump is busy advancing his campaign plans and solidifying his position. His office recently contacted Paul Ryan, the Republican Speaker of the House, requesting a meeting between the two parties. Trump's office has asked Republican leaders to view his candidacy as a good opportunity for expanding the party. The Associated Press, considering the vote counts of the main Republican candidates, reminds that Trump's nomination is not yet certain. He has so far garnered the support of 46% of local party delegates but needs at least 51% for a definitive nomination. The news agency recently surveyed Republican senators and governors regarding support for Donald Trump. Of the 59 respondents, about half of the Republican senators and governors stated they would not support Trump if he secures the party's nomination.