Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, said at a dinner in Washington on Thursday night that he had no intention of supporting presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, and said he was "dismayed" by what he saw as a drift toward "demagoguery and populism" in both parties.

Romney also praised the leadership of House Speaker Paul Ryan, his 2012 running mate, who earlier on Thursday declared that he was not ready to support Trump. Romney said he'd love to see Ryan run for president, but that he's needed in the House at this time.

Though Romney at times sounded like an independent candidate, doling out criticism of both parties and decrying a leadership vacuum of people with the right mix of experience and character, he dismissed the idea that he'd run.

Romney was in attendance at an awards gala for American Friends of The Hebrew University, which supports the university located in Israel's capital city, Jerusalem. The former Massachusetts governor fielded questions from official from the organization.

"I see way too much demagoguery and populism on both sides of the aisle and I only hope and aspire that we'll see more greatness," Romney said.

Asked about a possible independent run, he said, "No, I'm certainly going to be hoping that we find someone who I have my confidence in who becomes nominee. I don't intend on supporting either of the major party candidates at this point."

Earlier in his remarks, Romney cited a commencement speech former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg made last week in which he blasted demagogues.

"He basically said, look, on the left you have this demagoguery saying all these problems in the country is because of the bankers, and people of wealth, successful people," Romney recounted. "And on the right, demagogues saying, 'Well, no, these problems mostly involve these Muslims coming in and the Mexicans and so we're scapegoating, which is a characteristic of a demagogue's approach. And clearly that's not going to solve the problems that the country faces."

Romney went on to say, "I don't know what happens when we elect somebody to the White House what they'll do as opposed to what they're saying, but I certainly think this is a critical time for freedom, a critical time for America. I think it happens to be an inflection point in our history as we go through this dramatic change economically and militarily, socially, all those things … And I happen to think that the person who is leading the nation has an enormous and disproportionate impact on the course of the world, so I am dismayed at where we are now, I wish we had better choices, and I keep hoping that somehow things will get better, and I just don't see an easy answer from where we are."

Romney then praised Ryan.

"Most people imagined that when Paul Ryan went into the House that he would be incapable of getting Republicans to work together," Romney said. "I mean, it's like a bunch of frogs in a wheelbarrow."

Romney than said Ryan demonstrated leadership by rallying House Republicans to develop policies in key areas in which they're all in general agreement.

"He's got all these people working together, and it's absolutely remarkable," Romney said. "And he is where he needs to be. I'd love to see him run for president, but having a Speaker of the House, at this stage, where we don't know what's going to happen on the presidential race, having a Speaker of the House with that kind of leadership capacity is very encouraging. I have hopes that he'll remain speaker."

The dinner also presented an award to Bill Kristol, editor of the Weekly Standard, who joked about the possibility of a Romney independent run. (The Weekly Standard shares the same ownership with the Washington Examiner.)