‘FANTASTIC’: Trump Reacts To Mitt Romney’s 2024 Decision On Truth Social

On Wednesday morning, Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) declared that he will not be seeking re-election for his Senate seat. The decision was communicated via a post on his official Twitter account, where he shared a detailed message to the people of Utah.

Former President Donald J. Trump reacted to this news on Truth Social, stating it was “FANTASTIC NEWS FOR AMERICA, THE GREAT STATE OF UTAH, & FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.” He also mentioned that a primary fight against Romney was expected, but now it won’t be necessary.

Throughout his political journey, Romney has been recognized for his moderate stances on certain issues, which has garnered both praise and criticism. His decision has elicited a variety of reactions, with many conservatives seeing this as an opportunity for a more right-leaning candidate to fill Romney’s position.

“At the end of another term, I’d be in my mid-80s. Frankly, it’s time for a new generation of leaders,” Romney said on Wednesday. “They’re the ones that need to make the decisions that will shape the world they will be living in. Now, we face critical challenges, mounting national debt, climate change, and the ambitious authoritarians of Russia and China.”

Romney did not hold back in his critique of both President Biden and former President Trump during his announcement. He slammed them over their approach to pressing challenges like the national debt, climate change, and global threats from nations like Russia and China.

“Both men refuse to address entitlements, even though they know that this represents two-thirds of federal spending. Donald Trump calls global warming a hoax, and President Biden offers feel-good solutions that make no difference to the global climate.”

Romney’s political career has been notable. He sought the Republican nomination for President in 2008 and 2012, securing it in the latter. After his 2012 loss, he returned to the private sector but remained a voice in national politics.

He was notably critical of Donald Trump during the 2016 election cycle. In 2018, he ran for the U.S. Senate seat from Utah and has been serving since January 2019. In the Senate, he occasionally positioned himself as a Republican willing to criticize then-President Donald Trump, most notably voting to convict Trump in his first impeachment trial in early 2020.

Before Trump’s presidential run, Romney sought and received Trump’s endorsement during his 2012 presidential campaign. At that time, Romney praised Trump for his economic acumen. However, during the 2016 Republican primary, Romney became one of Trump’s most vocal critics within the Republican Party.

In a speech in March 2016, Romney called Trump a “fraud” and a “phony” and urged Republicans to vote for other primary candidates to prevent Trump from winning the nomination. Trump responded by criticizing Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign and calling him a “loser.”

After Trump’s victory in the 2016 election, the two appeared to reconcile somewhat. Romney was even considered for the position of Secretary of State in the Trump administration, though he was not ultimately chosen.

In 2018, Romney was elected as a U.S. Senator from Utah. While he occasionally supported Trump’s policies, he also positioned himself as one of the few Republicans in the Senate willing to criticize the President openly. This was most evident when Romney was the only Republican senator to vote to convict Trump on one of the articles of impeachment during his first impeachment trial in early 2020.

After Trump left office, the rift between the two seemed to widen, especially after the events of January 6, 2021. Romney was critical of Trump’s role in the events leading up to the storming of the U.S. Capitol, while Trump continued to criticize Romney for his perceived lack of loyalty.