--- title: Read Mitt Romney's Speech About Donald Trump description: Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney made the case against Donald Trump in Utah Thursday. canonical: https://time.com/4246596/donald-trump-mitt-romney-utah-speech/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-03-03T16:50:22.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-05T08:49:35.355Z article:section: Politics og:title: Read Mitt Romney's Speech About Donald Trump og:description: What he said in Utah Thursday. og:url: https://time.com/4246596/donald-trump-mitt-romney-utah-speech/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf19a971dd9098f4c/69888011cf40a8c01ec423ff/mitt-romney-speaks-about-donald-trump.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Mitt Romney Campaigns For Michigan GOP Candidates og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Read Mitt Romney's Speech About Donald Trump twitter:description: What he said in Utah Thursday. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf19a971dd9098f4c/69888011cf40a8c01ec423ff/mitt-romney-speaks-about-donald-trump.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Read Mitt Romney's Speech About Donald Trump > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=51e830d7-b02c-4fef-a130-5fe649af9eee&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: TIME Raw: Romney's Speech on Trump [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Raw: Romney's Speech on Trump](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/BI9vQbgP.m3u8) (2:28)  _Published 2016-03-03_ by [Ryan Teague Beckwith](https://time.com/author/ryan-teague-beckwith/) ## Ryan Teague Beckwith Mar 3, 2016 4:50 PM UTC by [Ryan Teague Beckwith](https://time.com/author/ryan-teague-beckwith/) ## Ryan Teague Beckwith Mar 3, 2016 4:50 PM UTC Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney made the case against Donald Trump in Utah Thursday. In a speech at the University of Utah, Romney called Trump a “phony” and a “fraud” and argued that his policies would lead to a recession. Though he did not endorse a rival, Romney called for Republicans to vote for the candidate who can win their state. Here is the full text of his remarks. --- > “” --- ## Transcript And let me put it very plainly. If we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished. But you say, wait, wait, wait. Isn't he a huge business success? Doesn't he know what he's talking about? No he isn't. And no he doesn't. His bankruptcies have crushed small businesses and the men and women who worked for them. He inherited his business, he didn't create it. And what ever happened to Trump Airlines? How about Trump University? And then there's Trump Magazine and Trump Vodka. And Trump Stakes. And Trump Mortgage. A business genius, he is not. If the other candidates can find some common ground, I believe we can nominate a person who can win the general election, and who will represent the values and policies of conservatism. Given the current delegate selection process, that means that I'd vote for Marco Rubio in Florida, and for John Kasich in Ohio, and for Ted Cruz or whichever one of the other two contenders has the best chance of beating Mr. Trump in a given state. Now Donald Trump tells us that he is very, very smart. [ LAUGH ] I'm afraid that when it comes to foreign policy he is very, very not smart. You know we've long referred to him as The Donald. He's the only person in the entire country to whom we have added an article before his name and it wasn't because he had attributes we admired. Here's what I know Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. [ APPLAUSE ] He's playing the members of the American public for suckers. He gets a free ride to the white house, and all we get is a lousy hat. His domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would America and the world less safe. He has neither the temperament nor the judgement to be president And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill. I'm convinced America has greatness ahead. And this is a time for choosing. God bless us to choose a nominee who will make that vision a reality. Thank you and God bless you all. Thank you. 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