Trump threatens to ‘do something with’ Mitch McConnell after GOP Senate leader criticises his endorsements

Veteran senator and ex-president clash as Republican hopes of retaking the Senate dim

Former President Donald Trump fumed on Thursday after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell criticised his endorsements in Republican primaries for the US Senate.

“He can think that if he wants, but he shouldn’t say it,” Mr Trump said on the television programme American Sunrise. “But he says it. And the party is furious at him. We have to put up with him for a period of time, but eventually he’ll be gone. He’ll be gone. He’s bad news.”

Mr Trump and Mr McConnell have clashed a number of times since Mr Trump won the Republican nomination for president back in 2016, but this latest round of sniping comes as the party is watching their prospects of retaking control of the Senate in November fade — in part, according to Mr McConnell, because of the quality of candidates Mr Trump elevated in Republican primaries earlier this year.

“I think there’s probably a greater likelihood the House flips than the Senate,” Mr McConnell said in August at a luncheon in Florence, Kentucky. “Senate races are just different — they’re statewide, candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome.”

Mr McConnell did not name any specific names, but several of Mr Trump’s marquee endorsees — including Herschel Walker in Georgia, Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, and JD Vance in Ohio — have left Republicans concerned about the state of their campaigns.

Mr Trump, however, bristled at Mr McConnell’s comments — suggesting he’d “do something” with the Kentucky senator.

“He’s not good, and we’re going to go through him, and then we’ll have to do something — later on we’ll have to do something with him,” Mr Trump said.

Mr Trump called for Mr McConnell to be removed as the Republican Senate leader on Wednesday, citing an article in The Federalist on Mr McConnell and his wife former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao’s alleged ties to China.

“Mitch McConnell is not an Opposition Leader, he is a pawn for the Democrats to get whatever they want,” Trump wrote. “He is afraid of them, and will not do what has to be done. A new Republican Leader in the Senate should be picked immediately!”

By Thursday, however, Mr Trump was again expressing his outrage with Mr McConnell’s comments that seemingly cast doubt on the strength of his preferred candidates and looking forward to his ouster.

“For him to make that statement is a disgrace,” Mr Trump said.