he former Republican US presidential candidate and incoming senator for Utah, Mitt¹ Romney, has launched a scathing² attack on Donald Trump³, saying he has caused dismay around the world.

美国前共和党总统候选人、即将上任的犹他州参议员米特·罗姆尼，近日对唐纳德·特朗普发起了猛烈攻击，称他令全世界失望。

Writing in the Washington Post, he said the US president had not "risen to the mantle⁴" of the presidency⁵.

在《华盛顿邮报》上他这样写道，这位美国总统没有“担当起总统的重任”。

Mr Trump hit back by tweeting, "I won big and he didn't."

特朗普则在推特上回击说：“我赢了大选，他没有。”

The timing⁶ of Mr Romney's article, just two days before he is sworn in, has prompted some to speculate he is positioning himself as a challenger to Mr Trump securing the Republican presidential nomination⁷.

罗姆尼在宣誓就职前两天发布了该文章，这个时机引起人们猜测他会在共和党总统候选人提名上将自己定位为特朗普的挑战者。

In the article, Mr Romney praised many of Mr Trump's policies, such as his tax reforms and appointment of conservative judges.

在这篇文章中，罗姆尼赞扬了特朗普的许多政策，例如他的税制改革和任命保守派法官。

But he went on to say: "With the nation so divided, resentful and angry, presidential leadership in qualities of character is indispensable. And it is in this province where the incumbent's shortfall has been most glaring."

但他接着说：“由于国家如此分裂、怨恨和愤怒，总统在品质方面的领导力是不可或缺的。而现任总统在这个方面的不足最为明显。”