Sen. Mitt Romney believes President Joe Biden made an "enormous error" by not asking New York prosecutors to drop the ongoing hush money trial against former president Donald Trump.
The Republican senator said in an interview on MSNBC's "The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle" that Biden should have pardoned Trump to demonstrate magnanimity and diminish Trump's stature after the Justice Department's indictments.
"You may disagree with this, but had I been President Biden, when the Justice Department brought on indictments, I would have immediately pardoned him," Romney said.
"I'd have pardoned President Trump. Why? Well, because it makes me, President Biden, the big guy and the person I pardoned a little guy."
Romney, who is a strong critic of Trump, also expressed his dismay at Republican lawmakers rallying to Trump's defense outside the Manhattan courthouse, where the hush money trial is ongoing.
He criticized the actions of those who he perceived as attempting to boost their vice presidential prospects by publicly supporting Trump.
"I think it's a terrible fault for our country to see people attacking our legal system — that's an enormous mistake," Romney said.
"I think it's also demeaning for people to quite apparently try and run for vice president by donning a red tie and standing outside the courthouse. It's just — I'd have felt awkward."
The criticism comes after House Speaker Mike Johnson and several potential vice presidential picks made public statements outside the Manhattan courthouse where Trump is attending proceedings related to the hush money trial.
The figures, including Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, expressed strong support and loyalty for Trump by saying the trial is a Democrat-led effort to interfere with his campaign.
Romney also took swipe at both Biden and Trump, comparing them to two "Muppets."
"It'll be entertaining, informative," he said, when asked about the duo agreeing to participate in presidential debates in June and September.
"The image that comes to mind is those two old guys on the Muppets, you know, that sat in the back ... that's what comes to mind. But I actually think there'll be a huge audience for these debates. I think people have very low expectations as to what President Biden will do. I think they have much higher expectations about President Trump and his competitiveness.
"You have got a cheering crowd and you have got teleprompters you could read, so how will they do in person? I don't know the answer to that, but I think America will be watching."
