Sen.-elect Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said Wednesday he will work with President Donald Trump on things like funding a border wall, but he will push back on other issues where they disagree.
Romney appeared on CNN one day after he penned an opinion piece for The Washington Post that was critical of Trump and the first two years of his administration.
"With regards to the shutdown, I'll be with Republicans on that front . . . it's important for us to secure the border," Romney told CNN. "At the same time, what I did in my op-ed was not just talk about the president and my relationship with him and how we'll work together, but also I laid out my perspectives and priorities on a very broad basis on everything from trade and China to to our allies around the world, immigration, and so forth.
"I think it's important as you begin a new job to describe what you hope to accomplish, and I think that's what I did."
Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential candidate, said he has no plans to run for the White House again in 2020. But he does plan to speak out against Trump when he feels it is warranted.
"In matters that relate to the divisiveness of our political environment, I'll speak out if I feel the need to – if there's something significant – and I think it's important as I begin this new job to make it very clear where I stand," he said.
Where Trump needs to improve, Romney said, is his character.
"I do believe that a president, like any leader . . . has an impact not just on policies, but also on the character of the people who get to watch that person," he said. "And I think that's an area the president needs to focus more attention and hopefully make some changes there."
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