Donald Trump's 4-year-old endorsement of Mitt Romney seems surreal today
In fact, they portrayed themselves as close allies when Trump endorsed Romney for president at his Las Vegas hotel in early 2012.
Back then, Trump wasn't saying Romney was "begging" for his endorsement so much he could've said "drop to your knees," as Trump suggested at a rally on Thursday.
Trump, the current Republican frontrunner, also wasn't calling Romney a "choke artist," "disaster," or "one of the dumbest and worst" candidates in history.
Before Romney lost the 2012 election, Trump had nothing but nice things to say about him.
"We have the opportunity to do something great for the country," Trump said in Las Vegas to kick off his February 2012 Romney endorsement. "It's my honor, real honor and privilege, to endorse Mitt Romney."
Trump continued: "Mitt is tough. He's smart. He's sharp. He's not going to allow bad things to continue to this country that we love."
At the same time, Romney similarly unloaded praise onto Trump.
"Being in Donald Trump's magnificent hotel and having his endorsement is a delight. And I am so honored and pleased to have his endorsement," he said.
"Donald Trump has shown an extraordinary ability to understand how our economy works, to create jobs for the American people," he continued. "He's done it here in Nevada. He's done it across the country. He understands that our economy is facing threats from abroad. He's one of the few people who stood up and said, 'China is cheating.'"
That's a far cry from Romney's Thursday speech, in which he unloaded on Trump's business acumen and said "promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University."