Sen. Mitt Romney
Willard (Mitt) Mitt Romney'Almost Heaven, West Virginia' — Joe Manchin and a 50-50 Senate The Hill's Morning Report - Biden asks Congress to expand largest relief response in U.S. history McConnell about to school Trump on political power for the last time MORE (R-Utah) on Friday broke sharply with President Trump
Donald TrumpCIA chief threatened to resign over push to install Trump loyalist as deputy: report Azar in departure letter says Capitol riot threatens to 'tarnish' administration's accomplishments Justice Dept. argues Trump should get immunity from rape accuser's lawsuit MORE's call for China and Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden
Joe BidenAzar in departure letter says Capitol riot threatens to 'tarnish' administration's accomplishments House Democrats introduce measures to oppose Trump's bomb sale to Saudis On The Money: Retail sales drop in latest sign of weakening economy | Fast-food workers strike for minimum wage | US officials raise concerns over Mexico's handling of energy permits MORE, calling it "wrong and appalling." "When the only American citizen President Trump singles out for China’s investigation is his political opponent in the midst of the Democratic nomination process, it strains credulity to suggest that it is anything other than politically motivated," Romney said in a statement, which he also tweeted out.



By all appearances, the President’s brazen and unprecedented appeal to China and to Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden is wrong and appalling.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) October 4, 2019
The day before, Trump floated to reporters outside of the White House that the two countries should probe Biden, the Democratic 2020 front-runner, and his son, Hunter Biden, even as House Democrats work on an impeachment inquiry centered on allegations that Trump sought to withhold aid to Ukraine as an effort to get Kiev to launch a probe.
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"China should start an investigation into the Bidens,” Trump said in front of cameras on the South Lawn. Sen. Ben Sasse
Ben SasseSasse: Capitol rioters 'came dangerously close to starting a bloody constitutional crisis' McConnell about to school Trump on political power for the last time McConnell: Trump impeachment trial to start after Biden sworn in MORE (R-Neb.), in a statement on Thursday night, said "Americans don’t look to Chinese commies for the truth," while also knocking House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff
Adam Bennett SchiffWhat our kids should know after the Capitol Hill riot Pelosi names 9 impeachment managers Democrats, GOP face defining moments after Capitol riot MORE (D-Calif.) for running a "partisan clown show in the House."
The president added that he had not explicitly asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to open such a probe, but that it’s “certainly something we can start thinking about.”
Most Republicans, who are currently scattered across the country for a two-week recess, have remained silent on Trump publicly suggesting that foreign governments investigate a potential 2020 rival.
But Romney is part of a small group of Republicans who have spoken out this week, though none have backed the impeachment inquiry against Trump.


Retiring GOP Rep. Will Hurd
William Ballard HurdHouse poised to override Trump veto for first time Lawmakers call for including creation of Latino, women's history museums in year-end spending deal House Republicans who didn't sign onto the Texas lawsuit MORE (Texas) told CNN's "New Day" that he thought Trump's comments were "terrible."

Romney's comments on Trump asking for the Chinese government to investigate the Bidens come as he also voiced concerns about the phone call where Trump asked the Ukrainian government to help his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani
Rudy GiulianiWhat our kids should know after the Capitol Hill riot How to stop Trump's secret pardons Trump tells aides not to pay Giuliani's legal fees: report MORE, look into the issue. There's been no evidence of wrongdoing by Biden.

Romney became one of the first GOP senators to raise concerns about the phone call. The public questioning earned him mockery from the president, who tweeted out a video comparing Romney's failed 2012 presidential bid with his own victory four years later.