Trump on Romney: "Are you sure he's a Mormon?"

Mr. Romney, who was the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, comes from a prominent Mormon family, and he remains popular in Utah, which has a sizable Mormon population.

After first praising Mormons generally — “And do I love the Mormons, O.K.?” Mr. Trump said. “Do I love the Mormons?” — Mr. Trump added that he has many friends in Salt Lake City. But he noted pointedly that Mr. Romney, who has been urging Republicans to deny him the presidential nomination, is not one of them.

“Did he choke? Did this guy choke? He’s a choke artist,” Mr. Trump said, referring to Mr. Romney’s loss to President Obama in 2012. Mr. Trump added, “Are you sure he’s a Mormon? Are we sure?”