Sen. Mitt Romney's suggestion that President Joe Biden should have pardoned former President Donald Trump has critics gleeful that the Utah Republican was never elected president.
Romney shared this controversial opinion Wednesday with MSNBC journalist Stephanie Ruhle.
“[Biden] should have fought like crazy to keep this prosecution from going forward,” Romney said. “It was a win-win for Donald Trump.”
Earlier in the day, Romney lashed out at an entourage of fellow Republicans who made a pilgrimage to the New York City courtroom where Trump stands accused of falsifying business records to hide hush money payments ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Trump pleaded not guilty and denies the affair adult film star Stormy Daniels said she was paid not to disclose.
Romney's comment spurred anger and confusion among those following Trump's four criminal court cases and ongoing presidential campaign.
"I’m really glad you weren’t President when those indictments came out," replied former Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh, "because that would have been a really bad thing to do."
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X user @SaveDem79589185 agreed, adding "Then thank God Romney was never elected."
"I’m stunned by this statement," added @ItWasACoup in a tweet. "Mitt ran for his life on January 6th."
X user Logan Davis recalled former President Gerald Ford's1974 decision to issue a full and unconditional pardon to Richard Nixon after the Watergate scandal.
"Pardoning Nixon was a terrible precedent," reads his post.
Others noted Romney voted to convict Trump in his 2020 impeachment trial and bitterly condemned Trump on Jan. 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.
"Romney is so hard to figure out.," writes Gale Sinatra. "He voted for impeachment but he’d pardon him? Make it make sense."
Ruhle also questioned Romney about his thoughts on fellow Republicans and the message they send voters ahead of the Biden-Trump rematch election.
“I think it’s a terrible fault for our country to see people attacking our legal system — that’s an enormous mistake,” Romney said. “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. It's just — I'd have felt awkward.”