In a true profile in courage, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Thursday evening tossed aside his past criticism of former President Donald Trump’s incitement the deadly assault of the Capitol on January 6 and embraced the ex-president once more.
“My point is what happened in the past is not something relevant now. We’re moving forward,” McConnell told Fox News in response to a clip of his scathing speech last month that torched Trump for feeding “lies” to the mob of insurrectionists and “provoked” them to attack the Capitol.
“We’ve got a new administration. It’s a very left-wing administration and we need to make sure the American people understand that this is not what Republicans stand for,” the GOP Senate leader continued on Thursday.
A few minutes later, McConnell said he would “absolutely” support Trump if the former president were to run for office again in 2024.
Last week, Trump attacked the senator as a “dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack” for criticizing him in the speech and an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. Trump also threatened to ensure McConnell’s allies get primaried.
McConnell’s op-ed came after the Republican leader voted to acquit Trump in the Senate impeachment trial.
Hardline Trump loyalists in the GOP Senate caucus, like Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Ron Johnson (R-WI), have ripped McConnell for condemning the former president.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), one of the mere seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump, predicts that the ex-president would likely be the 2024 GOP nominee if he decided to launch another presidential campaign.
“He has by far the largest voice and a big impact in my party,” the Utah Republican said on Tuesday.
