When he’s not freezing up mid-sentence without explanation, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) seems to be spending his time trying to hold on to his political relevance now that he’s no longer leading Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill.
In one interview, the frequent critic of President Donald Trump once again took aim at his perceived foe over the D.C. protest of Jan. 6, 2021.
After complaining to “60 Minutes” interviewer Lesley Stahl that he had been “very angry” over Trump’s alleged role in provoking the Capitol protest, McConnell said he and the president “haven’t spoken for quite a while” and acknowledged that his feelings toward Trump haven’t changed.
As Breitbart reported:
MCCONNELL: That– Yeah, I remember what I told them.
MCCONNELL (OFF-CAMERA): President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day.
MCCONNELL: That’s the way I still feel about it.
STAHL: What are your views on President Trump and his supporters trying to change what happened on January 6? They’re calling it a “day of love.” They called the rioters “martyrs.”
ADVERTISEMENTMCCONNELL: Yeah. No, it– it was an insurrection.
STAHL: What about the pardons for the people who stormed the Capitol that day?
MCCONNELL: I– I think pardoning the people who’ve been convicted is a mistake.
Several other clips from the Trump-bashing interview have also been shared extensively on social media:
Stahl: “You said he [Trump] is nasty, not very smart, a sleazeball”
Mitch McConnell: “Those were private comments”
Stahl: “But they’re in your biography.”
McConnell: “Yeah”
pic.twitter.com/NgdI3EXfQP— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) February 3, 2025
“[Tariffs] will drive the cost of everything up. In other words, it will be paid for by American consumers. I mean, why would you want to get in a fight with your allies over this?” asks Sen. Mitch McConnell. https://t.co/sZ8KLQcijQ pic.twitter.com/TwI1PodU8V
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) February 3, 2025
Worse than bad-mouthing the president on TV, however, is the power McConnell has over the confirmation process of Trump’s nominees.
With Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tusli Gabbard, and Kash Patel facing an uncertain path to their roles as HHS Secretary, Director of National Intelligence, and FBI Director, respectively, the Kentucky Republican’s vote could be decisive in a narrowly divided Senate.
BREAKING:
Mitch McConnell (@SenMcConnell) told reporters that he is a NO on RFK, Kash Patel, & Tulsi Gabbard.
Trump won Kentucky by 31 points.
He took an OATH to represent his constituents.
He will break his oath.
What should be done about this partially comatose RINO? pic.twitter.com/VUaMyRLkw2
— Mila Joy (@MilaLovesJoe) February 4, 2025
Shortly after replacing McConnell as House Majority Leader, Sen. John Thune (R-SD) acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the confirmation process.
As CBS News reported last month:
In an interview with “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Thune, who took charge of the Senate on Friday with the start of the 119th Congress, was asked whether he knows some of his GOP colleagues will vote against confirming Pete Hegseth for defense secretary or Kash Patel for director of the FBI.
“We don’t have, at this point I don’t think, clarity on that,” Thune said. “I think these are nominees who are new enough, they’ve been going around and conducting their meetings, which I think, frankly, have gone very well, but they still have to make their case in front of the committee. And, you know, we don’t know all the information about some of these nominees. I think we know a lot about them, but they deserve a fair process, and that’s what we’ve committed to and promised and and I expect to deliver on.”
Thune noted that Republicans have a three-vote margin in the Senate and said each individual senator will decide how to vote on Trump’s picks.
“I do think that in most cases, at least most of our Republican senators are inclined to give the president the people that he wants in these positions, given, you know, the process that they go through and whether or not they can manage the committee process and ensure that they get to the floor for a vote,” he said.
Here’s McConnell’s full “60 Minutes” interview:
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