New book reveals Mitch McConnell's criticism of Trump behind closed doors

No matter how low your opinion of Senator Mitch McConnell — and his chronic, cowardly cynicism — he still somehow finds a way to shock and amaze.

This week, the Associated Press reported excerpts from a new biography of McConnell by AP deputy Washington bureau chief Michael Tackett. According to Tackett, the Republican senator from Kentucky privately called Trump “stupid,” “ill-tempered,” a “despicable human being” and a “narcissist,” and said of the 2020 election that the American people have had enough of Trump's “misrepresentations” and his “daily stream of… of lies” and “fired him”.

McConnell even expressed support for special prosecutor Jack Smith's efforts to hold Trump accountable for his actions on January 6th. If the former president “didn't commit any impeachable acts,” McConnell told Tackett in an interview, “I don't know what is.” Additionally, McConnell made it clear that he believes Trump “inspired” the Jan. 6 violence “, and said, “I just hope he has to pay a price for this.”

But McConnell's private antipathy toward Trump hasn't stopped him from doing the only thing that could stop Trump from paying any price for his actions on January 6 – supporting his bid for another term in the White House.

If Trump wins in November, he will undoubtedly drop the prosecution that led to his indictment — the one that McConnell privately supports.

It's not like Trump appreciated McConnell for his dedication. Trump has repeatedly and publicly denigrated McConnell, calling him an “Old Broken Crow” who, he says, is “VERY close to Biden, the Democrats, and of course China” (an accusation that will undoubtedly shock the president). Biden and his fellow Democrats). Trump also hurled anti-Asian epithets at McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, who is of Chinese descent and served as transportation secretary in the Trump administration.

Trump's enthusiastic fans have followed his example. Although McConnell led the passage of Trump's 2017 tax cut law and oversaw the Republican takeover of the Supreme Court and the overturn of Roe v. Wade, he was met with loud boos from delegates to the Republican National Convention this summer. Best of all, the party faithful heckled McConnell when he pledged the Kentucky delegation's support for Trump's presidential bid.

No matter how much Trump and his supporters denigrate and attack him, McConnell's devotion is stunningly consistent. As Tackett's new book shows, McConnell almost voted to convict Trump after his second impeachment. If he had done so — and rallied enough Republicans behind him — it likely would have prevented Trump from ever running for public office again, and the GOP would have gotten rid of a man McConnell privately considers “despicable.”

McConnell couldn't get through it and instead criticized Trump's actions on January 6th after he voted to acquit Trump. It was this action that led to the former president's now incessant personal attacks.

It would be one thing if McConnell's support for Trump was driven by personal ambition. That would be terrible and cynical – but it is consistent with the stance of many other Republican politicians, including Trump's Vice President JD Vance, who has publicly supported Trump even as he privately denigrated him.

In fact, McConnell pointed to this gap in sentiment when asked for comment on his private remarks. “Whatever I have said about President Trump,” he said in a statement, “pales in comparison to what JD Vance, Lindsey Graham and others have said about him, but we are all on the same team now.”

Allow me to translate this: We are all a bunch of cynical, reckless cowards who substitute our private judgment for our public ambitions. But at least we are united in our cowardice.

But unlike Vance and Graham, McConnell's political journey is nearing its end. He is stepping down as Senate Republican leader at the end of this year and is unlikely to run for re-election in 2026. He doesn't have to worry about angering Trump's supporters.

The only possible explanation for McConnell's continued toleration of Trump's humiliation appears to be that, as a lifelong Republican, he cannot imagine running against a Republican president. For McConnell, loyalty to his party is more important than support for his country.

McConnell's arc reminds me of a story I heard four years ago about Senator Lamar Alexander from McConnell's neighboring state of Tennessee. During Trump's first impeachment trial, Alexander was hesitant to support Democratic demands to subpoena witnesses who could testify directly to Trump's wrongdoing. Alexander, who had never been a die-hard conservative and had already announced his retirement, didn't have to worry about facing MAGA-obsessed voters in Tennessee. However, he still voted against the subpoenas.

When I asked a Tennessee political observer why Alexander was unable to do the right thing even though he knew he wouldn't face the wrath of voters, he told me that Alexander always attended a local GOP event or even attended something as unusual as a Rotary club meeting, he would be reminded that he sided with the Democrats against Trump. Why, he suspected, would Alexander want the trouble?

The same is probably true for McConnell. Had he failed to support Trump or come forward to support his conviction in 2021, that would be all anyone in Kentucky would remember about him — even after McConnell's years of tireless devotion to the GOP.

For years there has been a heated debate in political circles about who or what is responsible for Trump's political rise. But make no mistake: There is only one explanation for why Trump remains a candidate – a party of cowardly and cynical politicians who would rather support a narcissistic, ill-tempered and despicable liar than do what they believe is right hold.