Mitt Romney

==U.S. Senate (2019–present)==

===Tenure===
[[File:Biden meets with Republican senators on COVID relief.png|thumb|Romney and other Republican Senators meet with [[President of the United States|President]] [[Joe Biden]] to discuss COVID-19 relief in February 2021.]]
Shortly before assuming office, Romney wrote a ''[[The Washington Post|Washington Post]]'' editorial strongly criticizing Trump's character.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46734423|title=Trump caused worldwide dismay – Romney|date=January 2, 2019|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=January 2, 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref> [[Ronna McDaniel]], Romney's niece and the chair of the [[Republican National Committee]], called his comments "disappointing and unproductive", while Trump wrote that he "[w]ould much prefer that Mitt focus on Border Security and so many other things where he can be helpful".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/423477-rnc-chair-slams-her-uncle-mitt-romney-for-trump-criticism/|last=Wise|first=Justin|title=RNC chair slams her uncle Mitt Romney for Trump criticism|date=January 2, 2019|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=January 2, 2019}}</ref> By November 9, 2019, Romney was just one of three Republican senators, along with [[Susan Collins]] of Maine and [[Lisa Murkowski]] of Alaska, who declined to co-sponsor a resolution opposing the impeachment inquiry process into Trump.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/467842-murkowski-collins-say-they-wont-co-sponsor-grahams-impeachment-resolution/|title=Murkowski, Collins say they won't co-sponsor Graham's impeachment resolution|last=Carney|first=Jordain|date=October 28, 2019|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|language=en|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/only-3-senate-republicans-aren-t-defending-trump-impeachment-inquiry-n1078906|title=Only 3 Senate Republicans aren't defending Trump from the impeachment inquiry. Here's why.|website=[[NBC News]]|last=Edelman|first=Adam|date=November 9, 2019|language=en|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref> He was one of two Republicans (with Collins) who joined all Democrats voting to allow impeachment witnesses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/31/murkowski-to-vote-against-calling-witnesses-in-impeachment-trial-109997|title=Republicans defeat Democratic bid to hear witnesses in Trump trial|website=[[Politico]]|date=January 31, 2020 |language=en|access-date=January 31, 2020}}</ref>

Romney condemned the [[2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings]], saying: "As we celebrate the miracle of Easter, we hold in our hearts the victims of the senseless violence in Sri Lanka and their loved ones."<ref>{{cite news |title=Utah faith, political leaders mourn deadly toll in Sri Lankan bombings |url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900066934/utah-faith-political-leaders-mourn-deadly-toll-in-sri-lankan-bombings.html |work=[[Deseret News]] |author=Knox, Annie |date=April 21, 2019 |access-date=April 25, 2019 |archive-date=April 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425103317/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900066934/utah-faith-political-leaders-mourn-deadly-toll-in-sri-lankan-bombings.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===={{anchor|Pierre Delecto}}Social media====
In the October 2019 issue of ''[[The Atlantic]]'', Romney revealed that he used a secret Twitter account to keep tabs on political conversation there, saying, "What do they call me, a [[lurker]]?"<ref name="Coppins">{{cite news |last=Coppins |first=Mckay |author-link=McKay Coppins|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/10/mitt-romney-middle-impeachment-fight/600373/ |title=The Liberation of Mitt Romney |work=[[The Atlantic]] |date=October 20, 2019 |access-date=October 21, 2019 }}</ref> Shortly thereafter, [[Slate (magazine)|''Slate'']] found a Twitter account with the name Pierre Delecto. The account was registered in July 2011, followed about 700 people, and had eight followers at the time it was discovered. It had tweeted 10 times, always in reply to other tweets. Romney later confirmed that the account was his.<ref>{{cite news |last=Feinberg |first=Ashley|author-link=Ashley Feinberg |url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/10/mitt-romney-has-a-secret-twitter-account-and-it-sure-looks-like-its-this-one.html|title=This Sure Looks Like Mitt Romney's Secret Twitter Account (Update: It Is) |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |date=October 20, 2019 |access-date=October 21, 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |first=Domenico |last=Montanaro |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/10/21/771873287/mitt-romney-pierre-delecto-and-the-strategy-of-anonymously-criticizing-trump |title=Mitt Romney, 'Pierre Delecto' and the Strategy of Anonymously Criticizing Trump |date=October 21, 2019 |publisher=[[NPR]]|access-date=October 22, 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

====First impeachment of Donald Trump (2019–2020)====
[[File:FULL REMARKS -- Senator Mitt Romney to vote to convict President Trump on Abuse of Power.webm|thumb|left|219x219px|"Full Remarks – Senator Mitt Romney to vote to convict President Trump on Abuse of Power" – video from C-SPAN]]

On February 5, 2020, after Romney read a prepared text on the Senate floor decrying "corrupting an election to keep oneself in office" as "perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one's oath of office that I can imagine",<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/with-his-vote-to-convict-trump-on-abuse-of-power-romney-will-break-with-his-party--and-awaits-the-consequences/2020/02/05/a76dce74-4841-11ea-ab15-b5df3261b710_story.html|title=Romney to vote to convict Trump on impeachment charge of abuse of power, becoming the first Republican to break ranks|last=Balz|first=Dan|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=February 5, 2020|access-date=February 5, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/02/romney-impeach-trump/606127/|title=How Mitt Romney Decided Trump Is Guilty|last=Coppins|first=McKay|author-link=McKay Coppins|website=[[The Atlantic]]|date=February 5, 2020|access-date=February 5, 2020}}</ref> he broke ranks with the Republican majority as the sole Republican senator to vote to convict Trump in his [[First impeachment trial of Donald Trump|first impeachment trial]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/impeachment-vote.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205161013/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/impeachment-vote.html |archive-date=February 5, 2020 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Trump Impeachment Trial |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 5, 2020}}</ref> thereby becoming, according to press reports, the first U.S. senator in [[United States history]] to vote to convict a president of the same political party.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/trump-acquitted-impeachment.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205214033/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/trump-acquitted-impeachment.html |archive-date=February 5, 2020 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title = Trump Acquitted of Two Impeachment Charges in Near Party-Line Vote|newspaper = The New York Times|date = February 5, 2020|last1 = Fandos|first1 = Nicholas}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-expected-to-vote-to-acquit-trump-on-impeachment-11580908525 |title = Senate Acquits Trump on Both Impeachment Articles|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|first1=Rebecca|first2=Natalie|last1=Ballhaus|last2=Andrews|date=February 5, 2020|access-date=September 4, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/02/05/senate-impeachment-trial-mitt-romney-votes-remove-president-trump/4669734002/|title='Appalling abuse': Sen. Mitt Romney votes to convict President Trump on abuse of power charge|first1=Ledyard|first2=Maureen|first3=Nicholas|last1=King|last2=Groppe|last3=Wu|website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref>

Fallout from the vote included Romney's being formally censured by various Republican organizations outside of Utah; in comparison, anger against Romney among Republicans within Utah was more muted, and his impeachment vote, according to opinion polling, was supported by Utah Democrats.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Romboy|first=Dennis|date=February 11, 2020|title=New poll shows most Utahns pleased with Mitt Romney's vote, but 60% of GOP has negative reaction|url=https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/2/11/21133232/mitt-romney-donald-trump-mitt-impeachment-split-deseret-news-hinckley-poll-convict-divided|access-date=June 4, 2020|website=[[Deseret News]]|language=en}}</ref> Jason Perry, director of the [[University of Utah]]'s [[Hinckley Institute of Politics]], said, "Democrats in Utah were more excited about Mitt Romney's vote than [Utah] Republicans were disappointed."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Can a Republican take on Trump and survive? Mitt Romney is proving it's possible.|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/can-a-republican-take-on-trump-and-survive-mitt-romney-is-proving-it-s-possible/ar-BB105SAq|access-date=June 4, 2020|website=www.msn.com}}</ref> [[Republicans for the Rule of Law]] ran various ads thanking Romney.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Johnson|first=Martin|date=February 7, 2020|title=New ad campaign by GOP group: Thank you, Romney|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/481997-new-campaign-by-gop-group-thank-you-sen-romney/|access-date=June 4, 2020|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article240206057.html|title='We stand with Mitt.' Crowdfunded Utah billboard backs Romney's Trump impeachment vote|author=Gilmour, Jared|website=McClatchyDC|date=February 11, 2020|access-date=September 4, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Forgie|first=Adam|date=February 11, 2020|title='We Stand with Mitt': Student Republicans of Utah crowdfund billboard|url=https://kutv.com/news/local/we-stand-with-mitt-student-republicans-of-utah-crowdfund-billboard|access-date=June 4, 2020|website=KUTV}}</ref>

==== March with Black Lives Matter ====
On June 7, 2020, in response to the [[murder of George Floyd]] and the [[George Floyd protests|worldwide protests]] against police brutality, Romney became the first Republican senator to participate in a protest alongside [[Black Lives Matter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitt-romney-marches-black-lives-matter-protest-washington-dc/|title= Mitt Romney marches with Black Lives Matter protesters, becoming first GOP senator to join them|author=Brito, Cristopher|date=June 8, 2020|website= [[CBS News]]|access-date= June 8, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2020/06/08/president-trump-mocks/|title= President Trump mocks Utah Sen. Mitt Romney for marching with Black Lives Matter protesters|website= [[Salt Lake Tribune]]|access-date= June 8, 2020}}</ref> He said, "We need many voices against racism and against brutality, and we need to make sure that people understand that Black Lives Matter."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/06/mitt-romney-black-lives-matter/612808/|title= Why Romney Marched|author=Coppins, McKay|author-link=McKay Coppins|date=June 8, 2020|website= [[The Atlantic]]|access-date= June 8, 2020}}</ref> This act drew praise and admiration from the left and right, with some Republicans questioning why other congressional Republicans weren't showing support for the movement. On Twitter, Senator [[Kamala Harris]] praised Romney's actions, saying, "We need more of this."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/mitt-romney-black-lives-matter-march-washington|title= 'Black Lives Matter,' Tweets Mitt Romney as He Joins a Protest March in Washington|author=Emmrich, Stuart|date=June 8, 2020|website= [[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]|access-date= June 8, 2020}}</ref> Trump mocked Romney, saying, "Tremendous sincerity, what a guy. Hard to believe, with this kind of political talent, his numbers would 'tank' so badly in Utah!"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-trump-mitt-romney-george-floyd-protest-20200608-4xw6rxvtibaefmqge4a23uomhm-story.html|title= Trump sarcastically cheers 'what a guy' Mitt Romney for joining George Floyd protest march|author=Goldiner, Dave|date=June 8, 2020|website= [[New York Daily News]]|access-date= June 8, 2020}}</ref>

====2020 presidential election====
{{Main|2020 United States presidential election}}

Romney did not endorse Trump's [[Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign|2020 reelection campaign]] and told reporters that he did not vote for him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/21/politics/mitt-romney-trump-vote/index.html|title= Mitt Romney says he did not vote for Trump in the 2020 election|author=Raju, Manu|author2=LeBlanc, Paul|author-link=Manu Raju|date=June 8, 2020|website= [[CNN]]|access-date= October 21, 2020}}</ref> In a ''[[The Washington Post|Washington Post]]'' op-ed, Romney wrote that Trump "has not risen to the mantle of the office".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/01/us/politics/romney-trump-oped.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102043353/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/01/us/politics/romney-trump-oped.html |archive-date=January 2, 2019 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title= Mitt Romney Says Trump 'Has Not Risen to the Mantle of the Office'|author=Mervosh, Sarah|date=January 1, 2019|website= [[The New York Times]]|access-date= October 21, 2020}}</ref> After the victory of [[Joe Biden]] and his running mate, Kamala Harris, Romney was the first Republican senator to extend his congratulations to them.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=MittRomney |number=1325142815354064896 |date = November 7, 2020|title=Ann and I extend our congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. We know both of them as people of good will and admirable character. We pray that God may bless them in the days and years ahead.}}</ref>

====2021 U.S. Capitol attack====
{{Main|January 6 United States Capitol attack}}
[[File:Senator Mitt Romney pays tribute to Officer Brian Sicknick.jpg|thumb|Romney pays tribute to Officer [[Death of Brian Sicknick|Brian Sicknick]].]]
On the morning of January 5, 2021, Romney was heckled and harassed at [[Salt Lake City International Airport|the airport]] on his way to [[Washington, D.C.]], to certify [[2020 United States Presidential election|Joe Biden's election win]] in the Senate. Cellphone footage of the incident showed Trump supporters accusing Romney of not supporting Trump's baseless claims of election fraud, and chanting "Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!" as Romney boarded his flight.<ref>{{cite web |title=Trump supporters accost Mitt Romney on a plane and call him a 'traitor' for refusing to back the president's efforts to overturn the election |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-supporters-accost-romney-airport-plane-fraud-claims-video-2021-1 |access-date=January 7, 2020 |website=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-01-06/romney-heckled-in-airport-in-another-show-of-gop-divisions|title= Romney Heckled in Airport in Another Show of GOP Divisions|website=[[U.S. News & World Report]]|access-date= January 8, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/01/romney-harass-heckle-airport-salt-lake-city-flight-electoral-college-certification.html|title= Trump Supporters Heckle Mitt Romney on Flight to D.C. for Electoral College Certification|website= Slate.com|access-date= January 8, 2020}}</ref>

On the morning of January 6, protesters assembled at the [[January 6 United States Capitol attack#January 6 Trump rally|"Save America" rally]] on [[the Ellipse]], where Trump, [[Donald Trump Jr.]], [[Rudy Giuliani]], and several members of Congress addressed the crowd fueling the conspiracy theories about election fraud.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/seeks-prevent-certification-election-trump-plans-attend-dc/story?id=75042176 | title=As he seeks to prevent certification of election, Trump plans to attend DC rally | publisher=ABA News | first1=Katherine| last1=Faulders|first2=John |last2=Santucci | date=January 5, 2020 | access-date=January 7, 2021 | archive-date=January 7, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107164258/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/seeks-prevent-certification-election-trump-plans-attend-dc/story?id=75042176 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/photos-trump-rallies-crowds-of-supporters-in-nations-capital/2531368/ | title=Trump Supporters Gather, President Incites Chaos in DC | publisher=NBC | first=Anisa |last=Holmes | date=January 6, 2020 | access-date=January 7, 2021 | archive-date=January 7, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107164256/https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/photos-trump-rallies-crowds-of-supporters-in-nations-capital/2531368/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>President [[Donald Trump]], {{YouTube|tRKRW-4Dt3s|ABC News Prime: Call for Trump's removal, Capitol Hill security failure, Global reaction to riots}}, [[ABC News]], January 8, 2021, minutes 10:55–11:06.</ref> Trump said, "We will never give up, we will never concede. You don't concede when there's theft", and encouraged his supporters to "fight like hell" to "take back our country" and to march to the Capitol.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2021/jan/06/georgia-election-latest-news-senate-ossoff-warnock-democrats-republicans-trump-biden |title=Schumer calls pro-Trump mob 'domestic terrorists' as Senate resumes election certification – live |last1=McCarthy |first1=Tom |last2=Ho |first2=Vivian |last3=Greve |first3=Joan E.|date=January 7, 2021 |work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=January 6, 2021 |archive-date=January 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106230506/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2021/jan/06/georgia-election-latest-news-senate-ossoff-warnock-democrats-republicans-trump-biden|url-status=live}}</ref> Later that day, while the Senate was in session certifying the [[2021 United States Electoral College vote count]] within the [[United States Capitol]], hundreds of Trump supporters violently [[January 6 United States Capitol attack|attacked the Capitol]], where they looted senators' offices and broke into the [[United States Senate|chamber of the United States Senate]]. Police evacuated the senators and [[Vice President Mike Pence]] to an undisclosed area. As they were evacuating Romney, he yelled at [[Ted Cruz]] and other Republican congressmen, "This is what you've gotten, guys!"<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/01/trump-supporters-storm-the-us-capitol-washington-dc|title= Trump supporters storm the US Capitol|magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]|access-date= January 7, 2020}}</ref> According to ''[[New York Times]]'' reporter [[Jonathan Martin (journalist)|Jonathan Martin]], Romney told him with "fury in his voice", "{{em|This}} is what the president has caused today, this insurrection!"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532955-romney-trump-caused-this-insurrection/|title= Romney: Trump caused 'this insurrection'|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date= January 7, 2020}}</ref> Romney fully rebuked Trump, and condemned the actions of the domestic terrorists. Romney stated on the Senate floor later that night, when Congress had reconvened:
{{blockquote|We gather today due to a selfish man's injured pride and the outrage of his supporters whom he has deliberately misinformed for the past two months and stirred to action this very morning{{nbsp}}... Those who choose to continue to support his dangerous gambit by objecting to the results of a legitimate, democratic election will forever be seen as being complicit in an unprecedented attack against our democracy{{nbsp}}... They will be remembered for their role in this shameful episode in American history. That will be their legacy…The best way we can show respect for the voters who are upset is by telling them the ''truth''! That is the burden, and the duty, of leadership. The truth is that President-elect Biden won the election. President Trump lost. I've had that experience myself. It's no fun.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/mitt-romney-rips-pro-trump-insurrection-condemns-colleagues-attempts-overturn-election-1559518|title= Mitt Romney Rips Pro-Trump 'Insurrection,' Condemns Colleagues' Attempts to Overturn Election|website=[[Newsweek]]|access-date= January 7, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2021/01/07/mitt-romney-riot-violence-reaction-capitol-certification-sot-vpx.cnn|title= Sen. Romney: This was 'an insurrection incited by the President'|website=[[CNN]]|access-date= January 7, 2020}}</ref>}}On February 10, 2021, new video was released during [[second impeachment trial of Donald Trump|Trump's second impeachment trial]] that showed capitol police officer [[Eugene Goodman (police officer)|Eugene Goodman]] saving Romney from running into the Capitol rioters.<ref>{{cite news |last=McLeod |first=Paul |date=February 10, 2021 |title=New Impeachment Video Shows Officer Eugene Goodman Saving Mitt Romney From Running Into Capitol Rioters |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/paulmcleod/impeachment-video-eugene-goodman-mitt-romney-pence |access-date=February 12, 2021 |work=[[BuzzFeed News]]}}</ref> During a break in the hearing, Romney said, "It was very troubling seeing the great violence the capitol police were subjected to. It tears at your heart and brings tears to your eyes. It was overwhelmingly distressing and emotional." Romney also said he didn't know how close he was and didn't know it had been Goodman who diverted him away from the rioters, but that he looked forward to thanking Goodman.<ref>{{cite web |title=Live: Day 2 of the Second Impeachment Trial of Donald Trump |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVJnqRvCj90 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211005226/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVJnqRvCj90 |archive-date=February 11, 2021 |access-date=February 10, 2021 |website=[[NBC News]]}}</ref>

On May 27, 2021, along with five other Republicans and all present Democrats, Romney voted to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 attack. The vote failed for lack of 60 required "yes" votes.<ref>[https://www.rollcall.com/2021/05/28/republican-senators-torpedo-jan-6-commission/ Republican senators torpedo Jan. 6 commission], ''[[Roll Call]]'',  Chris Marquette, May 28, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.</ref>

====Second impeachment of Donald Trump (2021)====
{{main|Second impeachment of Donald Trump}}

On January 13, 2021, the House voted to [[Second impeachment of Donald Trump|impeach Trump a second time]] for incitement of insurrection.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Fandos|first1=Nicholas|author-link=Nicholas Fandos|title=Trump Impeached for Inciting Insurrection|website=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/13/us/politics/trump-impeached.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/13/us/politics/trump-impeached.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited|access-date=January 29, 2021|date=January 13, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On January 26, Republican senator [[Rand Paul]] of [[Kentucky]] introduced a motion to dismiss the impeachment charge. The objection was defeated on a 55–45 vote; Romney was one of the five Republicans to vote against it, along with [[Susan Collins]], [[Lisa Murkowski]], [[Ben Sasse]] and [[Pat Toomey]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Nicholas|last=Fandos|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/26/us/biden-trump-impeachment#impeachment-charge-senate|title=Republicans vote en masse against trying Trump, signaling he is likely to be acquitted of the impeachment charge|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 26, 2021|access-date=January 29, 2021}}</ref>

On February 13, 2021, Romney and five other Republican senators voted to allow other witnesses in the impeachment trial. Republican senator and Trump ally [[Ron Johnson]], who was "visibly upset", got in a heated exchange with Romney for his vote, saying, "We never should've had this impeachment trial."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/13/johnson-romney-impeachment-witnesses-468991|title='Blame you': Johnson and Romney get heated after vote for impeachment witnesses|website=[[Politico]]|first=Ben|last=Leonard|date=February 13, 2021| access-date= February 13, 2021}}</ref> Later that day Romney voted to convict Trump for the second time along with six of his Republican colleagues. The final vote was 57 to convict and 43 to acquit. He wrote a statement that read in part:
{{blockquote|President Trump attempted to corrupt the election by pressuring the [[Brad Raffensperger|Secretary of State of Georgia]] to falsify the election results in his state. President Trump incited the [[January 6 United States Capitol attack|insurrection against Congress]] by using the power of his office to summon his supporters to Washington on January 6th and urging them to march on the Capitol during the counting of electoral votes. He did this despite the obvious and well known threats of violence that day. President Trump also violated his oath of office by failing to protect the [[United States Capitol|Capitol]], the [[Vice President]], and others in the Capitol. Each and every one of these conclusions compels me to support conviction.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.romney.senate.gov/romney-statement-impeachment-vote|title= Romney Statement on Impeachment Vote|website=romney.senate.gov|date= February 13, 2021|access-date= February 13, 2021}}</ref>}}

===Committee assignments===
====Current====
* [[United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Committee on Foreign Relations]]
** [[United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, The Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy|Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific and International Cybersecurity Policy]] ''(Ranking Member)''
** Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation
** [[United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism|Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism]]
* [[United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs|Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs]]
** [[United States Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight|Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight]]
** Subcommittee on Governmental Operations and Border Management
* [[United States Senate Committee on the Budget|Committee on Budget]] (2021–present)
* [[United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions|Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions]]
** [[United States Senate Health Subcommittee on Children and Families|Subcommittee on Children and Families]]
** [[United States Senate Health Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety|Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety]]
Source:<ref>{{Cite web|title=U.S. Senate: Committee Assignments of the 117th Congress|url=https://www.senate.gov/general/committee_assignments/assignments.htm#RomneyUT|access-date=March 8, 2021|website=www.senate.gov}}</ref>