After the election, Romney retreated to La Jolla and struggled to find any privacy. The GOP splintered and different factions blamed Romney for different reasons; Trump blamed his immigration stance. Romney examined the data and evaluated what he could have done better. He and Ann were comforted by the notion that their campaign brought more attention to Mormonism. 

In November, Romney met Obama for lunch at the White House. He enjoyed the discussion of problem-solving but felt sad and tired when he realized that he no longer held any leadership positions that would give him an opportunity to address global problems. He met with a Latter-Day Saint apostle who blessed him and said that his career in politics was not over. During the 2014 midterms, he gathered with advisers to debate who should run for president in 2016. The more he met the candidates, the less impressed he was by them.

Romney was mystified by Trump’s campaign and frenzied followers. The GOP was in shambles, and advisors postulated that a Romney-Cruz ticket could help unite the Trump opponents. In February, David Duke endorsed Trump. Romney made a speech at the University of Utah in which he outlined Trump’s flaws and showed why he would make a dangerous candidate.