GOP senators reportedly aren't on board with Trump's push to end McConnell's leadership run
Former President Donald Trump has spoken with GOP senators about trying to end Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) lengthy leadership run, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing people familiar with the conversations. The two have been at odds ever since McConnell refused to support Trump's baseless claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
He's reportedly not gaining much traction in his efforts, however. McConnell, whose term as party leader runs through the end of 2022, remains popular among his colleagues, and even some of Trump's closer confidantes in the upper chamber, like Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and John Kennedy (R-La.), aren't on board. Tuberville said he's not "going to get in that fight," and praised McConnell for "doing a good job," while Kennedy, known for his ability to turn a phrase, equated Trump's odds of ousting McConnell from his perch to that of a donkey learning to fly, the Journal notes.
What's more, none of the Republican Senate challengers Trump has endorsed so far, including Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), have echoed his anti-McConnell call. Read more at The Wall Street Journal.
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.
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.
-
The plant-based portfolio diet focuses on heart healthThe Explainer Its guidelines are flexible and vegan-friendly
-
Gregory Bovino: the officer leading Border Patrol’s aggressive tacticsIn the Spotlight He has been referred to as the Border Patrol’s ‘commander-at-large’
-
Tips for surviving loneliness during the holiday season — with or without peoplethe week recommends Solitude is different from loneliness
-
‘This is where adaptation enters’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump ordered to fully fund SNAPSpeed Read The Justice Department is appealing the decision
-
Trump tariffs face stiff scrutiny at Supreme CourtSpeed Read Even some of the Court’s conservative justices appeared skeptical
-
The longest US government shutdown in historyThe Explainer Federal employees and low-income households have been particularly affected by ‘partisan standoffs’ in Washington
-
Democrats seek 2026 inspiration from special election routsIN THE SPOTLIGHT High-profile wins are helping a party demoralized by Trump’s reelection regain momentum
-
‘Not all news is bad’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
A most profitable presidencyfeature Donald Trump has added $3 billion to his wealth since returning to the White House. How?
-
Has Zohran Mamdani shown the Democrats how to win again?Today’s Big Question New York City mayoral election touted as victory for left-wing populists but moderate centrist wins elsewhere present more complex path for Democratic Party
