Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah., said Wednesday that President Joe Biden "made an enormous error" by not urging the prosecutors to drop the two federal charges against former President Donald Trump.
In an interview on MSNBC's "The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle," Romney voiced his displeasure with Republicans who have gathered outside the Manhattan courtroom where Trump's business fraud case is being tried.
When asked by Ruhle how the sight of Republicans supporting Trump makes him feel, Romney said, "I think it's a terrible fault for our country to see people attacking our legal system; that's an enormous mistake."
Romney suggested that those standing outside the courtroom are there to prove their loyalty to Trump. Earlier in the day, former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum showed up in person to support Trump, all wearing red ties. All have been floated as potential running mates for the Republican ticket.
"I think it's also demeaning for people to quite apparently try and run for vice president by donning a red tie and standing outside the courthouse," Romney said. "It's just, I'd have felt awkward."
Romney also said Biden should have pardoned Trump when the Department of Justice announced federal charges against him, arguing the trials have benefited Trump.
"He should have fought like crazy to keep this prosecution from going forward," Romney said of Biden. "It was a win-win for Donald Trump."
Romney, who is not seeking reelection this year, said Biden should have modeled his approach as to what he believes former President Lyndon B. Johnson would have done.
"I have been around for a while. If LBJ had been president, and he didn't want something like this to happen, he'd have been all over that prosecutor saying, 'You better not bring that forward or I'm gonna drive you out of office,'" he said.
Earlier Wednesday, Trump agreed to two debates with Biden. The first will take place June 27 on CNN. Romney suggested a less-than-flattering portrait of the two candidates, implying that voters could do better.
"The image that comes to mind is those two old guys on ["The Muppets Show"], you know, that sat in the back ... that's what comes to mind," he said. "But I actually think there'll be a huge audience for these debates.
"I think people have very low expectations as to what President Biden will do. I think they have much higher expectations about President Trump and his competitiveness."
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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