Trump meets privately with Romney, talks publicly about it

From left: Donald Trump, Mitt Romney and the Trump Tower at Columbus Circle

Donald Trump has apparently become a mandatory pit stop on Republican presidential candidates’ long drives to replace President Barack Obama in the Oval Office. And usually it makes for a great photo opportunity.

But MediaBistro reported that when Mitt Romney “went off to kiss the ring” of the Donald, he did so privately inside the Trump Tower, evading, and ultimately disappointing, a legion of press stationed outside the building.

“Well, pictures were snapped,” Trump later said to Fox News. “But they were snapped privately.”

True to form, Trump wanted no part of that privacy. He called in to the TV station to answer questions about the meeting shortly after it took place. He said he believes candidates respect his views and his business acumen.

“I think they respect that I have a big following of people that are tired of being ripped off by other nations, like China, like OPEC nations,” Trump said. “We don’t do well with anybody, we don’t make good deals with anybody.” [MediaBistro]