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If former President Trump wants to run in the 2024 presidential election, he will become the Republican nominee, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) told Politico on Thursday.
What he's saying: "I don’t delude myself into thinking I have a big swath of the Republican Party," Romney said. "It’s hard to imagine anything that would derail his support. So if he wants to become the nominee in '24, I think he’s very likely to achieve that."
- "He's the leader of the party, that's clear. ... If he decides to run, he will be the nominee," Romney added.
The big picture: Romney, who was the 2012 Republican nominee for president, has been one of the most outspoken Republican critics of Trump.
- The Utah senator voted to convict him in both of his impeachment trials. However, he has previously acknowledged that the former president has "the largest voice and a big impact" in the GOP.
- Romney said in 2021 that if Trump runs for president again, he would not vote for him.
Between the lines: Trump has not officially announced whether he plans to make a third presidential run in 2024.