Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tore into Republican Utah Sen.-elect Mitt Romney on Wednesday for the 2012 presidential candidate’s Washington Post op-ed attacking President Donald Trump.
Romney, who will be sworn in as Utah’s junior senator Thursday, attacked Trump’s temperament and character in an opinion piece for The Washington Post published Tuesday. (RELATED: Mitt Romney Writes Anti-Trump Op-Ed, Questions Trump’s Character)
“To a great degree, a presidency shapes the public character of the nation,” Romney wrote. “With the nation so divided, resentful and angry, presidential leadership in qualities of character is indispensable. And it is in this province where the incumbent’s shortfall has been most glaring.”
McDaniel, seemingly unfettered by the fact that Romney is her uncle, called him out on Twitter for being “disappointing and unproductive.”
“POTUS is attacked and obstructed by the MSM media and Democrats 24/7,” McDaniel wrote. “For an incoming Republican freshman senator to attack @realdonaldtrump as their first act feeds into what the Democrats and media want and is disappointing and unproductive.”
POTUS is attacked and obstructed by the MSM media and Democrats 24/7. For an incoming Republican freshman senator to attack @realdonaldtrump as their first act feeds into what the Democrats and media want and is disappointing and unproductive. https://t.co/ArhI7Bi7bo
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) January 2, 2019
Trump also responded to Romney’s article, urging the incoming senator to be a “team player.”
“Here we go with Mitt Romney, but so fast! Question will be, is he a Flake? I hope not,” Trump asserted. “Would much prefer that Mitt focus on Border Security and so many other things where he can be helpful. I won big, and he didn’t. He should be happy for all Republicans. Be a TEAM player & WIN!”
Trump endorsed Romney for his Senate race last February, suggesting that perhaps the pair were mending their fraught relationship. At the time, Romney thanked the president for his support.