Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) said he would support Donald Trump for president in 2024 if he wins the Republican Party nomination.
McConnell told Axios journalist Jonathan Swan in an interview this week that he has an “obligation” to support the party nominee.
“You spoke very powerfully against the most powerful figure in the party, the president. And you said Donald Trump’s actions preceding the January 6 insurrection were a — quote — disgraceful dereliction of duty and that he was practically morally responsible, your words, for provoking the events of that day,” Swan said. “How do you go from saying that to two weeks later saying you’d absolutely support Donald Trump if he’s the Republican nominee in 2024?”
“I think I have an obligation to support the nominee of my party,” McConnell said. “That will mean that whoever the nominee is has gone out and earned the nomination.”
“It’s not at all inconsistent,” he added. “I stand by everything I said about January 6 and everything on February 13. I don’t get to pick the Republican nominee for president. They’re elected by the Republican voters all over the country.”
McConnell’s willingness to still support Trump in 2024 comes after the former president spent months criticizing and mocking him. Trump has called McConnell a RINO (Republican in name only), an old crow, loser and said he was jeopardizing other Republican senators’ reelection chances.
Trump has also been working behind the scenes to recruit one of his Senate allies to challenge McConnell for leader if Republicans retake the Senate after the 2022 midterms.
