President Donald Trump is being called out for seemingly taunting Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) for being in self-quarantine due to potential coronavirus exposure.

Romney released a statement on Sunday saying he was experiencing no symptoms but had prolonged exposure to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who tested positive for the virus.

“Romney’s in isolation?” Trump said when asked about it during a news conference. “Gee, that’s too bad.”

Trump said he wasn’t being sarcastic. But he’s been highly critical of Romney, in recent months, calling him a “fool” and a “pompous ‘ass’” and claiming Utah voters look at him with “contempt & disgust.”

Given Trump’s history of attacking his critics when they’re down ― including hurling insults at the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) during his cancer battle and even after his death ― many of his critics weren’t buying it:

Romney’s being extra careful in part because his wife, who has MS, can’t get sick.



As usual, Trump is meanness and selfishness personified. https://t.co/b317afsscs — Brian Goldsmith (@GoldsmithB) March 22, 2020

Imagine expressing glee — even veiled as sarcasm — that someone might be infected with a life-threatening illness that could leave him unable to breath and to possibly die...WHO DOES THAT??



Oh yeah, the President of the United States https://t.co/J5IS5TReTf — Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) March 23, 2020

Reminder: The virus is especially life threatening to both Romney because of age and his wife, who has an underlying condition.

People used to cane each other on the floor of the Senate for things like this. — Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 23, 2020

Trump mocks Mitt Romney for self-isolating due to coronavirus concerns. Even in the middle of a national emergency, Trump is still bitter about Romney's impeachment vote. pic.twitter.com/pgXQqhSgMA — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 22, 2020

Romney's wife has MS & would be exceptionally at risk from COVID-19. Rand Paul's behavior put Ann Romney at risk. I bet Mitt is closer than he's ever been in his extremely polite life to wanting to throw a punch. https://t.co/Sqvb6Aqgyq — Erin The Non Vector Ryan (@morninggloria) March 22, 2020

The President behaves like a spoiled child .. comment about Romney ridiculous. I’m glad the reporter called him out and asked him about it. — Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) March 22, 2020

Conservatives spent much of the day slamming anyone for daring to say anything about Rand Paul testing positive - oh the irony: here’s their man mocking Romney for going into self-quarantine: https://t.co/z6ZhhTC0cs — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 23, 2020

Anne Romney was diagnosed with MS ~23 years ago. Donald shows again he regards everyone else as objects, as narcissistic con artists often do. #heartless https://t.co/TGDb18yO7x — David Cay Johnston (@DavidCayJ) March 23, 2020

No THIS President @realDonaldTrump - no other president would be that heartless or cruel - but when you’re as stupid as Trump there is no bottom to the depths of your deprivation https://t.co/ZHw0N8oIbE — Matthew Scherer (@mscherer0902) March 23, 2020

And Trump is laughing about Romney having it. He’s a heartless ghoul. https://t.co/xTnsEnzwN4 — Doctrina neglecta in tenebris iacet (@stopthatgirl7) March 23, 2020

Today, Trump publicly took sadistic joy in hearing that Mitt Romney might have COVID19. Now recall the biggest hotspots in America are Washington, whose governor he called a snake, and NY, whose citizens he's already harmed as retribution for the state's investigations of him. — subscribe to my newsletter (@brianbeutler) March 23, 2020