Why Mitt Romney thinks President-elect Trump will be focused on governing, not retribution

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Sen. Mitt Romney said he thinks President-elect Donald Trump will focus more on governing in his second term than seeking retribution against his political enemies.

KSL NewsRadio’s Adam Small reports:

 

Romney — the Utah Republican whose public pushback against Trump has earned him villain status among some of the president-elect’s most ardent supporters — spoke with local reporters from his Salt Lake City office Friday as he prepares to wrap up his first and only term in the U.S. Senate.

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“I think President Trump, in his ‘Meet the Press’ interview a couple of days ago … said he’s focused on forward,” Romney said when asked if he fears personal retribution from Trump. “I think that’s probably the course he will take. And there’s not something in my past that I’m particularly worried about someone taking a look at. I’ve been pretty careful in my life to follow the law.”

During that same interview with NBC News on Sunday, Trump said members of the House Select Committee on the Jan. 6 Attack “should go to jail.” On the campaign trail, Trump repeated calls for retaliation against his perceived political enemies, critics and members of the media.

Although Romney didn’t serve on the Jan. 6 committee, he was asked about the comments and said “it would be a missed opportunity” for Trump if he chose to go after his old enemies instead of focusing on his policy priorities.

“I think he’s savvy enough to say, ‘I want to get stuff done. I want to be known for having done things,'” Romney said. “He wants to have a legacy of being admired and respected, and spending your time going after the past is not going to do that.”

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