President Donald Trump has reversed course on Mitt Romney and offered a full-throated endorsement of the former Massachusetts governor’s run for U.S. Senate in Utah.
Trump tweeted out his endorsement of Romney on Monday night, saying “Mitt Romney has announced he is running for Senate from the wonderful State of Utah. He will make a great Senator and worthy successor to Orrin Hatch, and has my full support and endorsement.”
.@MittRomney has announced he is running for the Senate from the wonderful State of Utah. He will make a great Senator and worthy successor to @OrrinHatch, and has my full support and endorsement!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2018
About a half-hour later, Romney replied to Trump, thanking him for the endorsement.
“Thank you Mr. President for the support. I hope that over the course of the campaign I also earn the support and endorsement of the people of Utah.”
Thank you Mr. President for the support. I hope that over the course of the campaign I also earn the support and endorsement of the people of Utah.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) February 20, 2018
The endorsement seemingly puts aside years of animus between the two men. During the 2016 campaign, Romney was one of Trump’s most vocal Republican critics. He famously called Trump a “liar” during a speech at the University of Utah. Trump responded later that day with a crude sex joke and said Romney “choked” during the 2012 presidential campaign against Barack Obama.
Trump also reportedly tried to convince Sen. Orrin Hatch not to retire at the end of the current term in order to block Romney from running for the Senate.
After months of dancing around the question, Romney officially announced his run for U.S. Senate from Utah last week.
