After Jan. 6, McCarthy and McConnell reportedly raged against Trump in private, but later capitulated


A new book from New York Times reporters Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin purports to reveal how House and Senate Minority Leaders Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), respectively, quietly railed against former President Donald Trump in the aftermath of the Capitol riot, only to back down in the near future, the Times reports.
According to This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden and the Battle for America's Future, McCarthy and McConnell initially told colleagues in the days after the riot that they believed Trump bore responsibility for the attack, the Times writes. "I've had it with this guy," McCarthy reportedly told a group of Republican leaders.
In a phone call with other top Republicans on Jan. 8, McCarthy reportedly called Trump's behavior on Jan. 6 "atrocious and totally wrong" before inquiring about the 25th Amendment, which grants the vice president and members of the cabinet the power to remove a president from office. And in another call two days later, McConnell reportedly told GOP leaders he would advise the president to resign.
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 spokesperson for McCarthy says the minority leader said no such thing. McCarthy has since remained one of Trump's staunchest supporters.
And in the Senate, McConnell reportedly told advisers shortly after the riot that "the Democrats are going to take care of the son of a b--ch for us," alluding to Trump and the imminent impeachment vote in the House.
"If this isn't impeachable, I don't know what is," McConnell had said at one point, per This Will Not Pass.
But when it came time to vote in the Senate, McConnell moved to acquit the former president (albeit not without giving a floor speech condemning him).
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Now, though McConnell's become one of Trump's least favorite lawmakers, he still plans to stand behind the ex-president should he secure the nomination in 2024.
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
GPS jamming: a new danger to civil aircraft
The Explainer Use of the 'invisible threat' is on the rise
-
'Axis of upheaval': will China summit cement new world order?
Today's Big Question Xi calls on anti-US alliance to cooperate in new China-led global system – but fault lines remain
-
Educating Yorkshire: a 'quietly groundbreaking' documentary
The Week Recommends The 'uplifting' return to Thornhill Community Academy is a 'tonic' for tough times
-
Epstein files: Maxwell courts a pardon
Feature A new prison transcript shows Ghislaine Maxwell praising Trump as 'a gentleman' while denying his involvement in the Epstein scandal
-
Pentagon readies military deployment in Chicago
Feature The Pentagon is preparing to deploy thousands of Illinois National Guard members to Chicago after Trump threatened to send troops into other major cities
-
Trump reignites Jan. 6 furor by awarding military honors to killed rioter
IN THE SPOTLIGHT With military funeral honors for Ashli Babbitt, the president makes good on campaign promises designed to animate his political base while relitigating history
-
'Is it OK to be happy when the world is falling apart?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump crypto token launch earns family billions
Speed Read The World Liberty Financial token is now the Trump family's 'most valuable asset'
-
Lisa Cook and Trump's battle for control the US Fed
Talking Point The president's attempts to fire one of the Federal Reserve's seven governor is represents 'a stunning escalation' of his attacks on the US central bank
-
RFK Jr. names new CDC head as staff revolt
Speed Read Kennedy installed his deputy, Jim O'Neill, as acting CDC director
-
Why is Trump suddenly interested in his enemies' mortgages?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the president continues targeting adversaries, he's turned to a surprising ally to provide ammunition for an emerging line of attack