Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) has filed an indictment against former President Donald Trump after the Justice Department pressured New York prosecutors not to pursue Trump's ongoing hush money trial. President Joe Biden said he should have pardoned Donald Trump.
In an exclusive interview on MSNBC's “The Eleventh Hour with Stephanie Ruhl,” Romney spoke with Republican lawmakers, including the Republican presidential nominee's running mate, outside the Manhattan courthouse where Trump's hush money trial is being held. expressed regret that they had rallied to defend Trump. is happening.
“What do you think about the Republican Party?” Mr. Ruhl asked Mr. Romney.
“I think it's a terrible failure for our country to see people attacking our legal system. It's a huge mistake,” said Romney, a vocal critic of President Trump. “I also think it would be humiliating for people to stand outside the courthouse wearing red ties and obviously trying to run for vice president. It would have just been awkward.”
The Utah Republican argues that Biden should have granted clemency when the Justice Department announced charges against Trump, and that the president did not pressure New York state prosecutors to drop the charges against Trump. He claimed that he had made a “big mistake.'' (The president can only pardon people in federal cases.)
“He should have fought like crazy to stop this prosecution from moving forward. It was a win-win for Donald Trump,” Romney said of Biden.
Asked by Ruhl whether it was Biden's job to pardon Trump, Romney said he thought Biden should have taken a cue from former President Lyndon B. Johnson, saying the president should have intervened. He said he could have urged New York prosecutors to drop the case.
“I've been around for a while. If LBJ were president and didn't want something like this to happen, he would have turned to prosecutors and said, 'You better not bring this up, or I'll take you out. I would have kept saying, ‘I’m going to throw you out of your job,’” he said. He said.
Ruhl also noted that Romney supports having independent but equal branches of government.
“I do. … You may not agree with this, but if I were President Biden, I would have immediately pardoned him when the Justice Department filed the indictment. If I were Trump, I would have pardoned him right away. I would have pardoned the president. Why? Well, it makes me, President Biden, a great man and the person I pardoned a man.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and several of Mr. Trump's running mates gave public speeches outside the Manhattan courthouse where they are required to attend the hush money trial against Mr. Trump. expressed support and loyalty. This is because the court case will limit campaign time. Vice presidential candidates, including Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswami, echo Trump's accusations that the trial is Democratic-led and an attempt to sabotage the campaign, based on no evidence.
Biden and Trump agreed Wednesday to participate in general election debates in June and September, but at least the first debate will not have a live audience. Mr. Romney, who ran unsuccessfully for president against Barack Obama in 2012, was asked if the debate was important today and whether he thought it would influence votes. “I have low expectations,” he said, but “expectations are much higher” for Trump.
“The image that comes to mind is, you know, the two old guys sitting in the back of The Muppets… that's what comes to mind. But the reality is that these discussions draw a large audience. I think so,” he said. “I think people have very low expectations for what President Biden will do. I think they have much higher expectations for President Trump and his competitiveness.”
Romney added that he and Biden have had “good interactions” and that Trump “seems energetic and forceful” during rallies, but he doesn't know what would happen if they faced each other head-on in a debate. Ta.
“You've got crowds cheering and teleprompters to read, but what happens in person?” Romney said, referring to campaign rallies. “I don't know the answer to that, but I think America is paying attention.”
