Mitch McConnell’s Damning New Comments Show He’s Using Trump
Perhaps nobody in Washington has flipped their opinion on January 6 quite like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.Despite his public fawning, behind the scenes of the political theater, McConnell’s true feelings about Donald Trump were well known, according to The Price of Power, an upcoming book on the Republican senator by journalist Michael Tackett. McConnell reportedly referred to Trump as “stupid,” “ill-tempered,” as well as a “despicable human being” weeks before Trump’s supporters ransacked the U.S. Capitol with intent to harm Vice President Mike Pence, then–House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and other key politicians.Before the Georgia runoff election in November, McConnell reportedly described Trump as “stupid as well as being ill-tempered and can’t even figure out where his own best interests lie,” according to Tackett.In the midst of the insurrection, as rioters banged on his barricaded office doors, McConnell addressed his staff in tears.“You are my family, and I hate the fact that you had to go through this,” he told them.In the immediate aftermath of the Capitol riot, McConnell laid the responsibility of the day’s events at Trump’s feet, proclaiming that there was “no question” the former president was “morally responsible” for the violent attack, and reprimanding Trump for his inaction while his supporters ransacked the legislature as a “disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty.” Still, when it came time for the Senate to vote on the House’s impeachment of the outgoing president for his involvement in the riot, McConnell chose to acquit. Then, after a year of relative silence on the issue, McConnell chose to wrist-slap the Republican National Convention for censuring House GOP lawmakers who investigated the events of the day.“It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election from one administration to the next,” McConnell said at the time.Since then, McConnell has once again endorsed Trump for the Oval Office, rationalizing his support for the former president’s continued executive leadership on the basis that Trump had “earned” the nomination.In a statement to the Associated Press on Thursday, McConnell insisted that he was now on the “same team” as the Republican presidential nominee.“Whatever I may have said about President Trump pales in comparison to what JD Vance, Lindsey Graham, and others have said about him, but we are all on the same team now,” McConnell said.
Perhaps nobody in Washington has flipped their opinion on January 6 quite like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Despite his public fawning, behind the scenes of the political theater, McConnell’s true feelings about Donald Trump were well known, according to The Price of Power, an upcoming book on the Republican senator by journalist Michael Tackett.
McConnell reportedly referred to Trump as “stupid,” “ill-tempered,” as well as a “despicable human being” weeks before Trump’s supporters ransacked the U.S. Capitol with intent to harm Vice President Mike Pence, then–House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and other key politicians.
Before the Georgia runoff election in November, McConnell reportedly described Trump as “stupid as well as being ill-tempered and can’t even figure out where his own best interests lie,” according to Tackett.
In the midst of the insurrection, as rioters banged on his barricaded office doors, McConnell addressed his staff in tears.
“You are my family, and I hate the fact that you had to go through this,” he told them.
In the immediate aftermath of the Capitol riot, McConnell laid the responsibility of the day’s events at Trump’s feet, proclaiming that there was “no question” the former president was “morally responsible” for the violent attack, and reprimanding Trump for his inaction while his supporters ransacked the legislature as a “disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty.”
Still, when it came time for the Senate to vote on the House’s impeachment of the outgoing president for his involvement in the riot, McConnell chose to acquit. Then, after a year of relative silence on the issue, McConnell chose to wrist-slap the Republican National Convention for censuring House GOP lawmakers who investigated the events of the day.
“It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election from one administration to the next,” McConnell said at the time.
Since then, McConnell has once again endorsed Trump for the Oval Office, rationalizing his support for the former president’s continued executive leadership on the basis that Trump had “earned” the nomination.
In a statement to the Associated Press on Thursday, McConnell insisted that he was now on the “same team” as the Republican presidential nominee.
“Whatever I may have said about President Trump pales in comparison to what JD Vance, Lindsey Graham, and others have said about him, but we are all on the same team now,” McConnell said.
