Trump Trashed McConnell as ‘Unsmiling Political Hack,’ But McConnell Now Says He’d ‘Absolutely’ Support Trump As 2024 GOP Nominee
The war of words between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and former President Donald Trump seems to have resolved — with McConnell vowing to “absolutely” support Trump if he’s the 2024 Republican presidential nominee.
Earlier this month, McConnell joined the majority of Republicans in voting to acquit Trump at his second impeachment trial, but then delivered a blistering speech condemning Trump for his actions leading up to and during the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, and even opined that the former president could be criminally liable for his conduct.
McConnell’s decision to acquit drew a rebuke from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), but his subsequent, damning rhetoric really drew heat from Trump, who issued a fiery statement slamming him as “a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack” who would doom the GOP to future electoral losses.
McConnell had initially responded to Trump’s insults by reportedly laughing and planning on ignoring Trump moving forward. But he couldn’t avoid the subject when he was asked a direct question about it during an appearance on Fox News Thursday afternoon.
“If the president was the party’s nominee would you support him?” asked anchor Bret Baier about the 2024 election.
“The nominee of the party?” replied McConnell, before answering with an emphatic, “Absolutely.”
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer played the Fox News clip and asked chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins for reaction.
Collins noted McConnell’s prior statements condemning Trump and what a contrast they were to him now vowing to “absolutely” support Trump if he’s the 2024 nominee.
“That is a pretty interesting development there, given just how severe his relationship with President Trump has been since of course the November election,” said Collins. “We know they have not actually spoken in several months now and we don’t expect that to change. Former President Trump has been trashing Mitch McConnell from his club down at Mar-a-Lago. It is striking to hear McConnell say, yes if Donald Trump is the Republican nominee in 2024 he’ll support him.”
Watch the video above, via CNN.
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