Mitt Romney said Saturday that Donald Trump’s comments on Mexico and undocumented immigrants have hurt the Republican Party, making the 2012 presidential nominee the latest Republican to slam the billionaire over his controversial remarks.
Romney made his remarks during a Fourth of July parade in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, which was also attended by presidential candidates New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
Asked if Trump’s comments on Mexicans have hurt the Republican Party, Romney replied, “Yes.”
“I think he made a severe error in saying what he did about Mexican-Americans,” Romney said.
And when he was asked if Republican candidates should be speaking out about Trump’s comments, Romney said, “I think a number of them have.”
He was referring to the handful of 2016 Republican hopefuls, most notably former New York Gov. George Pataki, who have slammed Trump over his remarks, in which he referred to some Mexican immigrants as “rapists” and “killers.”
Romney also said he will meet with Jeb Bush and his wife, Columba, on Monday at Walker’s Point, the Bush family home in Maine. Asked if he plans to endorse Christie, whom he hosted at a sleepover at his summer home in the New Hampshire town on Friday night along with Rubio, Romney said he’s not going to endorse anybody until later in the nomination process.
“A lot of these folks helped me during my campaign. I’m going to be as loyal to them as they were to me,” he said.
