Confusion reigns over possible Romney-Trump fundraiser in NYC

{mosads}The event is expected to raise at least $2.5 million for the Romney campaign. But when the AP asked Romney traveling press secretary Rick Gorka if the candidate would be in attendance, the spokesman said there would be “no meeting” with Trump this week.

“That won’t be happening this week,” Gorka told the AP.

The campaign did not immediately respond to an inquiry as to whether Trump was mistaken in advertising the event as featuring Romney.

Romney’s relationship with the reality television show host has become a hot button for the campaign, with the president’s reelection team criticizing the Republican challenger for associating with Trump, who has questioned whether President Obama was born in the United States.

“I don’t have the requisite degrees to climb into Donald Trump’s head or even his hair so I don’t know what motivates him. The question is why Gov. Romney wouldn’t repudiate those tactics,” Obama senior strategist David Axelrod said to Current TV in May. Axelrod went on to say Trump had made a “fool” of himself in suggesting a conspiracy about the president’s birthplace.

Romney has defended fundraising with the real estate mogul, saying while he disagreed on the “birther” issue, he was seeking a broad-tent candidacy.

“You know, I don’t agree with all the people who support me, and my guess is they don’t all agree with everything I believe in. But I need to get 50.1 percent or more, and I’m appreciative to have the help of a lot of good people,” Romney told reporters in May.