One outspoken Republican condemned President Trump’s suggestion that he’d be open to accepting foreign assistance in a presidential campaign.
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, said Thursday that it was “simply unthinkable for a candidate for president to accept that involvement, to encourage it, to participate with it in any way, shape, or form.”
“It would strike at the very heart of our democracy,” Romney said.
Trump indicated in an ABC News interview Wednesday that he’d consider accepting information from foreigners during a campaign in a response to a question from George Stephanopoulos.
“If foreigners, if Russia, if China, if someone else offers you information on opponents, should they accept it or should they call the FBI?” Stephanopoulos asked.
“I think maybe you do both. I think you might want to listen. There’s nothing wrong with listening,” Trump said. He said he wouldn’t necessarily report it to the FBI.
Stephanopoulos pointed to FBI Director Christopher Wray’s statements that those types of incidents should be reported, Trump retorted, “the FBI director is wrong.”
Trump said in a Fox interview Friday that “if you don’t hear what it is, you’re not going to know what it is.”
“If I thought anything was incorrect or badly stated, I’d report it to the attorney general, the FBI, I’d report it to law enforcement, absolutely,” Trump said.
Romney said Thursday neither he nor his staff had ever been contacted by a foreign government.
“Had that occurred, I would’ve contacted the FBI immediately,” he said.
