5 insults Trump hurled at fellow Republicans in upcoming book


Former President Donald Trump hasn't slowed down when it comes to insulting people since leaving the White House.
In an excerpt from Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker's upcoming book I Alone Can Fix It published Monday by Vanity Fair, the journalists highlighted several moments from their hours-long March interview with Trump during which he tore into some of his least favorite Republicans.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) seemed to get the worst of it. "He's a stupid person," Trump reportedly said. "I don't think he's smart enough." Trump also referred to the senator as a "knucklehead" for not eliminating the filibuster, and said he has "no personality."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R), who didn't cave to Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him in large part because of voter fraud in the state, was described by Trump as a "terrible Republican" who "did everything he could to block voter integrity."
Trump went on to label moderate GOP Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) a "lightweight," and referred to both Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and former House Speaker Paul Ryan as RINOs (Republicans In Name Only), though the latter got hit with a "super-RINO."
And amid all that, Trump still somehow managed to bring up the late Sen. John McCain unprompted. McCain, Trump told Rucker and Leonnig, "was a bad guy ... a bully and a nasty guy ... a lot of people disliked him." Read the full excerpt at Vanity Fair.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Youth Demand promises a 'revolution'
The Explainer New protest group picks up Just Stop Oil's mantle and vows to 'build a movement that is going to take control of the British state'
-
Video games to play this summer, from Mario Kart World to Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
The Week Recommends Nintendo launches the Switch 2 with an exclusive 'Mario Kart' entry, and Sega revisits an arcade classic
-
Sudoku medium: June 12, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
Why is ABC's firing of Terry Moran roiling journalists?
Today's Big Question After the network dropped a longtime broadcaster for calling Donald Trump and Stephen Miller 'world-class' haters, some journalists are calling the move chilling
-
'The attack doesn't need to be so blunt'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump vows 'very big force' against parade protesters
Speed Read The parade, which will shut down much of the capital, will celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday
-
Is Trump's LA troop deployment about order or authoritarianism?
Talking Points President: 'We're going to have troops everywhere.'
-
Smithsonian asserts its autonomy from Trump
speed read The DC institution defied Trump's firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet
-
Trump sends Marines to LA, backs Newsom arrest
speed read California Gov. Gavin Newsom is filing lawsuits in response to Trump's escalation of the federal response to ICE protests
-
Deportations: A crackdown on legal migrants
Feature The Supreme Court will allow Trump to revoke protections for over 500,000 immigrants
-
Stephen Miller: Trump's extremist 'brain'
Feature Stephen Miller has emerged as an unrivaled power within the White House. What does he want?