--- title: Trump Endorsed Mitt Romney: A History of Their Feud description: President Donald Trump endorsed Mitt Romney's U.S. Senate run. Here's a history of their complicated relationship. canonical: https://time.com/5166393/donald-trump-endorses-mitt-romney-twitter/ author: Jennifer Calfas article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-02-20T16:36:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-12T08:59:24.718Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump Has Endorsed Romney. Romney Once Called Trump a 'Fraud' and Trump Said Romney 'Choked' og:description: A history of their rocky relationship og:url: https://time.com/5166393/donald-trump-endorses-mitt-romney-twitter/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blteed149dd3338515e/6989283d22fb855713e24cf6/donald-trump-mitt-romney.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2457 og:image:height: 1382 og:image:alt: Donald Trump Holds Weekend Meetings In Bedminster, NJ og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump Has Endorsed Romney. Romney Once Called Trump a 'Fraud' and Trump Said Romney 'Choked' twitter:description: A history of their rocky relationship twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blteed149dd3338515e/6989283d22fb855713e24cf6/donald-trump-mitt-romney.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Trump Has Endorsed Mitt Romney. But Romney Once Called Trump a 'Fraud' and Trump Said Romney 'Choked' > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=249f2ca2-9277-4e8e-a370-801154ebf32e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Trump and Romney's Roller-Coaster Relationship [Watch (HLS stream): Trump and Romney's Roller-Coaster Relationship](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/BQYtDTfc.m3u8) (2:23)  _Published 2018-02-20. President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Mitt Romney’s U.S. Senate campaign in Utah may have come as a surprise to some given their complicated history._ by [Jennifer Calfas](https://time.com/author/jennifer-calfas/) ## Jennifer Calfas Feb 20, 2018 4:36 PM UTC by [Jennifer Calfas](https://time.com/author/jennifer-calfas/) ## Jennifer Calfas Feb 20, 2018 4:36 PM UTC President Donald Trump’s [endorsement](http://time.com/5166003/donald-trump-endorses-mitt-romney/) of Mitt Romney’s [U.S. Senate campaign](http://time.com/5162344/mitt-romney-utah-senate/) in Utah may have come as a surprise to some given their complicated history. Trump and Romney have had a roller-coaster relationship for years, often throwing insults at each other in times of distress — and exchanging pleasantries when mutually beneficial. Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee who is now running to replace retiring Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, famously called Trump a “phony” and a “fraud” during Trump’s presidential campaign. Trump has repeatedly slammed Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, for his failed 2012 campaign, despite endorsing Romney that year. Still, Trump considered Romney as a possible Secretary of State before choosing Rex Tillerson, and now Trump has endorsed Romney’s political comeback. > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/965773283554668544) > [](https://twitter.com/MittRomney/status/965782061503062016) Here’s a history of Trump and Romney’s rocky relationship. ## February 2012: Trump endorses Romney  Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (L) and Donald Trump shake hands during a news conference held by Trump to endorse Romney for president at the Trump International Hotel & Tower Las Vegas February 2, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller—Getty Images Trump [endorsed](http://time.com/4246367/donald-trump-mitt-romney-2012/) then-GOP presidential candidate Romney’s campaign back in February 2012\. “Mitt is tough, he’s sharp, he’s smart,” Trump said at the time. “Donald Trump has shown an extraordinary ability to understand how the economy works,” Romney said, adding, “it means a great deal to me to have the endorsement of Mr. Trump.” ## October and November 2012: Trump boosts Romney on Twitter As the 2012 presidential election approached, Trump took to Twitter, calling on Americans to vote for Romney, posting videos and quotes from the candidate and lauding his performance in debates against former President Barack Obama. > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/253693930670002177) > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/253938102417117184) > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/258378264677060609) > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/265564012245311488) > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/265898054488584193) ## November 7, 2012: Trump says Romney blew the election After Romney’s loss to Obama, Trump tweeted that Romney “is a good man but he just never connected with the people.” > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/266221664537305089) ## October 2014: Trump says Romney shouldn’t run again Amid rumors that Romney would run for president again in 2016, Trump tweeted that Romney “had his chance and blew it.” > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/522517324465979392) ## July 2015: Romney criticizes Trump’s campaign launch After Trump announced he would run for president, Romney criticized Trump’s remarks on Mexico and undocumented immigrants — saying that the comments hurt the Republican Party. “I think he made a severe error in saying what he did about Mexican-Americans,” Romney said, [according to CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/04/politics/mitt-romney-donald-trump-2016-election/index.html). Days later, Romney then slammed Trump for going after Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain’s military record. > [](https://twitter.com/MittRomney/status/622478894881505281) Trump responded by pointing to Romney’s loss to Obama in 2012. > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/622507858714841088) ## September 30, 2015: Romney says Trump won’t win In a speech at Georgetown University, Romney said he “would have never predicted” that Trump would be leading his party, according to the [Washington _Post_](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romney-still-not-a-candidate-but-a-keen-if-not-obsessive-observer/2015/09/30/698d70ea-6782-11e5-9ef3-fde182507eac%5Fstory.html?utm%5Fterm=.569af7eb761a). He also predicted Trump would not become the Republican presidential nominee. He added that while he found Trump’s popularity to be a positive for the party, his rhetoric was a negative. “The negative side is that he’s said some things that he described the other day as being ‘childish,'” Romney said. “I’m afraid he brought attention to \[immigration\] in a way that was not productive and not appropriate in saying the things he did about Mexican-American immigrants.” Trump later responded on Twitter. > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/649664062268264448) ## February 24-25, 2016: Romney wants Trump’s tax returns Before Trump secured the GOP nomination, Romney [said](http://time.com/4236690/donald-trump-mitt-romney-tax-fight/) the remaining three Republican candidates should release their tax returns, noting that there may be a “bombshell” in Trump’s. Trump then responded by saying Romney’s “tax returns made him look like a fool,” and pointed to his endorsement of the 2012 candidate, saying Romney “was so awkward and goofy” back then. > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/702632410341576704) > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/702635699594469377) The war of words [then continued](http://time.com/4237647/donald-trump-mitt-romney-twitter-taxes/) on Twitter on Feb. 25, with Trump calling Romney a “dope” and sharing a photo in which he said he was signing “a recent tax return.” > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/702833969537142788) > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/702894623761498112) Romney retorted with the hashtag “#WhatIsHeHiding.” > [](https://twitter.com/MittRomney/status/702914516338798592) ## February 29, 2016: Romney says Trump’s hesitation to disavow the KKK is ‘disqualifying’ Just days after their feud over tax returns, Romney criticized Trump’s failure to immediately condemn former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. > [](https://twitter.com/MittRomney/status/704371093549805569) ## March 3, 2016: Romney makes a last-ditch effort to stop Trump In [a wide-ranging, scathing speech](http://time.com/4246596/donald-trump-mitt-romney-utah-speech/) against the then-presidential candidate, Romney criticized Trump on everything from his temperament to his economic plan to his foreign policy experience. “Here’s what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud,” Romney said at the University of Utah. “His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He’s playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat.” > [](https://twitter.com/MittRomney/status/705471184935190532) Just hours after Romney’s speech, Trump responded at a rally in Maine by pointing to his endorsement of Romney in 2012\. “He was begging for my endorsement,” Trump said. “I could have said, ‘Mitt, drop to your knees.’ He would’ve dropped to his knees.” > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/705362027901009921) ## March 2016: Trump says Romney ‘choked’ Trump double-downed on his criticism of Romney, calling him a “failed presidential candidate” who “choked and let us all down.” > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/706176828843663360) > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/710923287430357001) > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/710928141112332288) ## October 8, 2016: Romney condemns Trump’s ‘vile degradations’ after Access Hollywood tape After the [Washington _Post_](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-recorded-having-extremely-lewd-conversation-about-women-in-2005/2016/10/07/3b9ce776-8cb4-11e6-bf8a-3d26847eeed4%5Fstory.html?utm%5Fterm=.37324fb98d93) published the infamous 2005 _Access Hollywood_ tape, in which Trump bragged about groping women without their consent, Romney took to Twitter to blast the presidential candidate. > [](https://twitter.com/MittRomney/status/784546373525966849) ## November 9-13, 2016: Romney congratulates Trump on winning Romney tweeted well-wishes to Trump after he won the 2016 presidential election. > [](https://twitter.com/MittRomney/status/796352569203458048) Days later, Trump said Romney called to congratulate him for his win. > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/797812630312382464) ## November 19, 2016: Romney visits Trump  President-elect Donald Trump and Mitt Romney walk out after a meeting at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster clubhouse at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in Bedminster Township, N.J. on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016. The Washington Post—The Washington Post/Getty Images Romney visited the Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, New Jersey, where the then-president elect was considering candidates to fill his Cabinet. At the time, Vice President-elect Mike Pence told _Fox News Sunday_ the two politicians had a “good meeting.” “It was a warm and a substantive exchange,” Pence said, confirming Romney’s consideration for the role of Secretary of State. ## November 29, 2016: Trump and Romney have dinner  President-elect Donald Trump and Mitt Romney dine at Jean Georges restaurant, November 29, 2016 in New York City. President-elect Donald Trump and his transition team are in the process of filling cabinet and other high level positions for the new administration. Drew Angerer—Getty Images Romney and Trump dined in New York City as Trump considered Romney for one of his top Cabinet positions. Romney told reporters after the meeting that Trump was “the very man who can lead us,” according to [_Reuters_](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-romney/romney-potential-u-s-secretary-of-state-hails-trump-after-dinner-idUSKBN13P0A7). “We had another discussion about affairs throughout the world and these discussions I’ve had with him have been enlightening, and interesting, and engaging,” he said at the time. “I’ve enjoyed them very, very much.” ## August 18, 2017: Romney condemns Trump’s response to Charlottesville After a white nationalist rally ended with the death of a counter-protester in Charlottesville, Va., Romney [criticized](http://time.com/4906506/mitt-romney-president-trump-charlottesville/) Trump’s response, demanding that the president apologize. “Whether he intended to or not, what \[Trump\] communicated caused racists to rejoice, minorities to weep, and the vast heart of America to mourn,” Romney [said in a Facebook post](https://www.facebook.com/mittromney/posts/10154652303536121). “The president must take remedial action in the extreme. He should address the American people, acknowledge that he was wrong, apologize. State forcefully and unequivocally that racists are 100% to blame for the murder and violence in Charlottesville.” In Trump’s response to the violent event, he said there is “[blame on both sides](http://time.com/4902159/donald-trump-there-is-blame-on-both-sides-for-violent-clashes-in-charlottesville/?iid=sr-link1).” ## February 2018: Trump endorses Romney Trump endorsed Romney for his U.S. Senate bid, saying he would make a “great Senator.” Romney — who had previously said he would not have accepted Trump’s 2012 endorsement if he knew what he knows now about Trump — thanked Trump for the endorsement. ## Transcript It's my honor, real honor and privilege to endorse Mitt Romney. Donald Trump has shown an extraordinally ability to understand how our economy works, to create jobs for the American people. [ MUSIC ] I backed Mitt Romney. I backed him You can see how loyal he is. He was begging for my endorsement. I could've said Mitt, drop to your knees, he would have dropped to his knees. [ LAUGH ] Mitt Romney should not run. He is a choke artist. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He is playing the members of the American public for suckers. He has neither the temperament nor the judgement to be President. And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill. [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] You have these stiffs like a Mitt Romney. The guy is a total stiff. Did he let us down? This guy is a loser. Mitt Romney choked, pure and simple, he choked, he choked like a dog. [ MUSIC ] How'd the meeting go. Productive meeting? Went great. [ NOISE ] I had a wonderful evening with President- elect Trump. And he continues with a message that is crucial to bringing people together. And his vision is something which, obviously, connected with the American people in a very powerful way. And all of those things combined, give me increasing hope that president- elect Trump is the very man who can lead us For that better future. [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5166393/donald-trump-endorses-mitt-romney-twitter/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5166393/donald-trump-endorses-mitt-romney-twitter/"},"headline":"Trump Has Endorsed Mitt Romney. 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