President Trump hadn’t said much about Sen. Mitch McConnell’s recent votes against his Cabinet nominees, but after McConnell’s latest vote against Robert F. Kennedy Jr., he’s decided to speak out.
And boy, did he speak out.
McConnell has voted against Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, and now he was the sole Republican to reject RFK Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
In a press briefing from the Oval Office, Trump dismissed McConnell as mentally unfit and politically ineffective.
“I feel sorry for Mitch,” Trump said when asked about McConnell’s opposition to Kennedy. “He wanted to stay leader, but he wasn’t equipped mentally. He wasn’t equipped ten years ago, mentally.”
Trump asserted that McConnell had been a drag on the Republican Party, crediting himself with keeping the GOP viable. “If I didn’t come along, the Republican Party wouldn’t even exist right now,” he said.
McConnell’s ability to maintain power, according to Trump, came solely from his fundraising skills. “He had an ability to raise money because of his position as leader, which anybody could do. You could do it, even, and that’s saying a lot,” Trump quipped to the reporter.
President Trump recounted how Republican senators often sought his advice about accepting McConnell’s financial support. “Senators would call me and they’d say, ’He wants to give me 20, 25 million. Can I take it?’ I’d say, ‘Take the money, take the money.’”
Ultimately, Trump took credit for McConnell’s decision to step down as Republican leader. “I was the one that got him to drop out of the leadership position,” he declared. “So he can’t love me, but he’s not voting against Bobby. He’s voting against me. But that’s all right.”
Despite the tensions, Trump reminded the press that McConnell had officially endorsed him. “Mitch — do you know that Mitch endorsed me, right?” he said.
Trump isn't going to make it easy for McConnell to stick around until Jan. 2027.
— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) February 13, 2025
From the Oval:
"I feel sorry for Mitch... He's not equipped mentally. He wasn't equipped ten years ago mentally. He let the Republican party go to h*ll."
"If I didn't come along, the Republican… pic.twitter.com/bsf2du75g4
After voting against RFK Jr., McConnell embarked on a long tirade, condemning the nominee for “trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories” while claiming to uphold public trust.
“I'm a survivor of childhood polio,” McConnell said in a statement. “In my lifetime, I've watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world. I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles.”
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“Individuals, parents, and families have a right to push for a healthier nation and demand the best possible scientific guidance on preventing and treating illness,” McConnell said before launching into Democrat talking points. “But a record of trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories and eroding trust in public health institutions does not entitle Mr. Kennedy to lead these important efforts.”
He continued, “This Administration – led by the same President who delivered a medical miracle with Project Warp Speed – deserves a leader who is willing to acknowledge without qualification the efficacy of life-saving vaccines and who can demonstrate an understanding of basic elements of the U.S. healthcare system. Mr. Kennedy failed to prove he is the best possible person to lead America’s largest health agency. As he takes office, I sincerely hope Mr. Kennedy will choose not to sow further doubt and division but to restore trust in our public health institutions.”
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