Romney stays course on whether he supports Trump for president: 'It's a matter of personal character'
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, continued the course of not supporting former President Trump during the 2024 election.
Last week, Trump had a closed-door meeting with Republican senators where he pitched a new policy position that could win over workers in key swing states ahead of the November election.
Romney attended the meeting, though he told CNN reporter Manu Raju on Tuesday that he did not go to support Trump.
"I didn't go there to support former President Trump. I went there to listen to what he was planning on doing if he became president," Romney told Raju.
Romney reportedly acknowledged he was not planning to attend the meeting, though he changed his mind after his flight was canceled.
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"With President Trump, it’s a matter of personal character," the Utah senator said. "I draw a line and say when someone has been actually found to have been sexually assaulted, that’s something I just won’t cross over in the person I wouldn't want to have as president of the United States."
Romney was referring to a federal jury’s decision in New York City last year, which ruled Trump was not liable for the rape of E. Jean Carroll, though the former president was liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
Fox News Digital reached out to Romney’s team to verify the accuracy of the statements and was told, "That is what he said and has been saying this for months — it’s not new."
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Carroll, who alleged that Trump raped her at the Bergdorf Goodman department store across from Trump Tower in Manhattan sometime in 1996, was seeking $12 million.
Trump, the 2024 GOP presidential front-runner, has repeatedly denied the allegations. His denial resulted in Carroll slapping Trump with a defamation lawsuit, claiming his response caused harm to her reputation.
The jury found Carroll was injured as a result of statements Trump made while in the White House in June 2019.
The jury awarded Carroll $7.3 million in compensatory damages, other than the reputational repair program, and $11 million in damages for the reputational repair program.
The jury found Trump’s statements were made to harm Carroll and awarded her $65 million in punitive damages. In total, the jury said Carroll should be paid $83.3 million.
Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.