Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, expressed incredibly harsh opinions about former President Donald Trump following the 2020 election, describing him as “stupid and ill-tempered,” a “narcissist,” and a “despicable human being.” These candid remarks come from excerpts of a forthcoming biography titled “The Price of Power” by Michael Tackett, who utilized nearly thirty years of McConnell’s recorded diaries along with a series of interviews to compile the book. The biography is set to hit the shelves on October 29, just a week prior to the pivotal election that may decide Trump’s political future.
The tension between McConnell and Trump has been well-documented. Trump previously branded McConnell a “dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack.” However, McConnell’s private remarks provide an unprecedented glimpse into his disdain for Trump, potentially offering Democrats ammunition in their upcoming campaigns. Notably, McConnell has still chosen to endorse Trump’s candidacy for the 2024 election, indicating his loyalty to the party despite his private misgivings.
At 82, McConnell has announced plans to step down as the GOP leader after the upcoming election but intends to remain in the Senate until his term ends in 2026. His harsh criticism of Trump emerged in the lead-up to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. During that time, Trump was seeking to overturn the election defeat, alarming McConnell, who believed this would endanger Republican chances in the Georgia runoff elections—an event that ultimately led to Democratic victories.
While McConnell publicly congratulated Joe Biden after electoral certification and advised fellow Republicans against contesting the outcomes, he expressed deeper frustrations privately, stating that “not just the Democrats” were eager for Trump to exit the White House. McConnell’s subsequent comments highlighted a significant concern over Trump’s behavior, characterizing it as detrimental, reiterating that the American electorate had “had just enough of the misrepresentations” from Trump.
As the threat of political fallout loomed, McConnell labeled Trump “stupid as well as being ill-tempered,” lamenting that Trump could not discern his best interests. At the same time, Trump was obstructing a vital coronavirus relief package, an act that infuriated McConnell who remarked on Trump’s selfishness during a time of urgent need.
On January 6, as chaos unfolded with rioters storming the Capitol, McConnell found himself in a secure location with other leaders, urgently contacting military and vice-presidential officials for assistance. Once they returned to the chamber for discussions on Biden’s certification, McConnell made it clear that the insurrection was a failure and underlined the gravity of maintaining the integrity of the republic.
The events led McConnell to openly declare Trump’s significant responsibility for the Capitol breach—his most severe public critique to date. Nonetheless, he ultimately voted to acquit Trump during the impeachment trial that followed, demonstrating the complex and often contradictory nature of their relationship.
Since Trump’s election in 2016, McConnell harbored doubts about Trump’s competence. He privately warned Biden about potential issues as the election was being certified. This biography captures McConnell’s inner dialogue during moments of political turbulence that defined his career in the Trump era.
In 2017, when Trump blamed McConnell for failing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the two engaged in a heated telephone argument, resulting in a period of silence between them. Although they occasionally reconciled, their relationship remained fraught, characterized by tension and misunderstandings.
Reflecting on the shifts in their dynamics, McConnell noted that after the passage of a major tax reform bill, he suddenly became “Trump’s new best friend.” Nonetheless, he remained critical of Trump, particularly after the GOP suffered losses in the 2018 midterms, attributing these setbacks to Trump’s characteristics which he viewed unfavorably.
Fast forward to 2022, despite personal attacks from Trump, including derogatory comments aimed at McConnell’s wife, McConnell continued to dismiss such criticisms, suggesting they would bolster his reputation. He noted the erratic behavior exhibited by Trump post-election, acknowledging the troubling influence Trump held over a significant portion of the Republican base.
In the lead-up to the 2024 election, McConnell reaffirmed his support for Trump, recognizing the necessity of maintaining party unity to advance his political agenda and influence. Tackett encapsulates this dilemma as the “price he paid for power.”
