Trump calls for primary challengers to McConnell, GOP senators who vote with him

Former President Trump on Monday urged Republicans to stake out primary challenges against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other GOP senators who vote with the leader. 

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump congratulated House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for winning a long, contentious Speakership vote before telling his followers that Republicans had to “stop” McConnell. The former president also parroted racist comments that he had previously directed toward McConnell’s wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

“It’s as though he just doesn’t care anymore, he pushes through anything the Democrats want. The $1.7 TRILLION quickly approved Bill of the week before was HORRIBLE,” Trump wrote in reference to the government spending bill passed last month. “Zero for USA Border Security. If he waited just ten days, the now ‘United Republican Congress’ could have made it MUCH BETTER, or KILLED IT.” 

“Something is wrong with McConnell, and those Republican Senators that Vote with him. PRIMARY THEM ALL!!!”

McConnell drew ire from the former president in February 2021 after he criticized Trump in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. That prompted Trump to call for a primary challenge to McConnell, and the relationship between the two men has continued to remain frosty.

But Trump’s comments come at a time when Republicans have grown more comfortable criticizing the former president and voicing calls for new GOP presidential nominees after many of Trump’s endorsees in the November midterms struggled in the general election.