U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, in a move that wasn't really surprising to political insiders, gave his thumbs-up to Hillary Clinton during a campaign rally Tuesday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, offering a formal endorsement that put to end any hard feelings forged during campaign-trail travels.

And it was just a few minutes later that Donald Trump's campaign released a statement that mocked the endorsement, pointing out the perceived hypocrisy on Sanders' part.

But first, the endorsement.

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"Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process and I congratulate her for that," Sanders said, the Hill reported. "She will be the Democratic nominee for president and I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States."

Sanders, who once denounced Clinton as a tool of Wall Street, then called her "far and away the best candidate [to address] the needs of the American people ... [and] the very serious crises that we face."

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Sanders then blasted Republican presumptive candidate Donald Trump for his comments about border control, including past claims to make Mexico pay for a wall and to implement a temporary ban on Muslim immigration.

"In these stressful times for our country, this election must be about bringing our people together, not dividing us up," Sanders said, the Huffington Post reported. "While Donald Trump is busy insulting Mexicans, Muslims, women, African-Americans and veterans, Hillary Clinton understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Yes, we become stronger when black and white, Latino, Asian American, Native American, all of us, stand together. Yes, we become stronger when men and women, young and old, gay and straight, native born and immigrant, fight to rid this country of all forms of bigotry."

Trump's response?

It came via Stephen, Miller, the candidate's senior policy adviser, and it read: "Today, Bernie Sanders [endorsed] one of the most pro-war, pro-wall street, and pro-off shoring candidates in the history of the Democratic Party. The candidate who ran against special interests is endorsing the candidate who embodies special interests."

Miller then spoke to the much-contested Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, hated by many for its secrecy of development and for its argued give-away of American business interests to other countries.

"The candidate who ran against TPP is endorsing the candidate who helped draft the TPP," he said. "The candidate who ran in opposition to globalization is running against the candidate who has led the push for globalization. The candidate who warned that open borders destroy the working class is endorsing the candidate with the most open borders policy in our history. The candidate who wants to reform H1-B visas is endorsing the candidate who supported lifting the caps on H1-B visas. The candidate who wants less war is endorsing the candidate who launched wars in Iraq and Libya and would lead us to a new war in Syria. The candidate who wants to get money out of politics is voting for the candidate who has made a career out of making money from politics."

Miller wrapped by saying Sanders has now officially joined the ranks of the elitist politician.

"Bernie's endorsement becomes Exhibit A in our rigged system – the Democrat Party is disenfranchising its voters to benefit the select and privileged few," he said."