Senator Mitt Romney, R-Utah, approached Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., who is facing multiple investigations for fabricating his professional and personal life, in what led to a "heated confrontation," minutes before President Joe Biden's State of the Union address, Huffpost reports.
While U.S. senators entered the House chamber to greet one another, Romney and Santos could be seen not shaking hands in a video shared to Twitter, as the Utah senator said to his lying colleague, "you ought to be embarrassed."
Per Huffpost, a House member "who witnessed the exchange" recalled the incident, adding Romney also slammed the freshman representative saying, "You don't belong here."
Following the exchange, The Hill reporter Al Weaver asked the former governor of Massachusetts whether he called Santos "an embarrassment."
Romney responded, "I don't know the exact words I said. He shouldn't have been there. Look, he's a sick puppy. He shouldn't have been there."
Watch the exchange between the Republican senators below or at this link.
George Santos and Mitt Romney exchange words ahead of Biden's State of the Union address. pic.twitter.com/VrTe0wL4F1
— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) February 8, 2023
