Why Does Trump Hate Mitch McConnell?

One of former President Trump’s least admirable traits is his habit of turning on friends and allies out of personal pique. It has not served the Republican Party well … or the conservative cause … or even Trump, himself.

There is no person in politics to whom I pledge fealty – not even Trump.  I am driven by the issues and the skill with which those on my side pursue them.  I may not agree with every position or action taken by such people as Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, etc., but I do not consider them enemies.  They are all important in the strategic alliance known as the conservative movement. 

Even such outliers as Mitt Romney and Lisa Murkowski will vote right most of the time.  In politics, one never gets one hundred percent.  A political coalition – at least a successful one – must embrace those of common interest and belief – even if they occasionally take actions inconsistent with my personal belief.  The only person I know who agrees with me all the time is … me.

When I look at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell – in terms of his record – I see a lot to admire and very little of which to disapprove. 

Trump can call him a “cold stone loser,” but I am put off by that sophomoric and gratuitous insult. It reflects more negatively on the accuser than the accused.

Trump may feel that Mitch McConnell has not been as politically sycophantic as he would like. But McConnell has been a pretty good leader in terms of conservative issues. And that is my primary consideration.

Without McConnell’s strong conservative leadership, Trump would have had only one appointment to the Supreme Court – Justice Brett Kavanaugh.  McConnell endured the full wrath of the left when he held open the seat on the high court made available with the sudden death of Justice Antonin Scalia on the eve of the Trump presidency.  That enabled Trump to nominate Justice Neil Gorsuch.

McConnell stood strong against the same left-wing maelstrom when he expedited the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett in the last days of the Trump presidency.

Those two appointments, alone, would put McConnell in the ranks of political heroes in my book.  However, he has also been responsible for the confirmation of hundreds of judges to the lower federal courts. These are judges devoted to the text and meaning of the Constitution.

But McConnell has done a lot more by advancing the conservative agenda in the Senate.  He used his power – both as Minority and Majority leader – to block the most egregious proposal emitting from the Obama White House.

Against all odds, McConnell has kept his members united against the flurry of radical left-wing legislations flowing from the Democrat-controlled House. These include such so-called “moderates” as Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski and Utah Senator Mitt Romney.  I call that leadership.

McConnell successfully defended Trump from two impeachments by the House. He even delayed the second impeachment in order to create a “legitimacy” argument over a post presidency impeachment.  It was the argument most used by those voting acquittal.  A smart strategy that was enormously beneficial to Trump and the Republican Party.

It seems a lot of Republicans and Trump hate Mitch McConnell.  But why? 

I cannot find that reason in any analysis of the issues.  On those, McConnell has been a rock. 

The only cause of the animus toward McConnell is because Trump an irrational, albeit temporary dislike for the man – except when he IS liking him.  Beyond a personality clash, the only real foundation for Trump to hate Mitch McConnell is that he did not SOMEHOW stop the inauguration of President Biden.  That is the same reason Trump flipped on his long-loyal Vice President Pence. That is another guy I have long liked and admired.  And still do.  There is no way that either of them could have stopped the certification of Biden. No matter what they believed about the legitimacy of the vote.

There is always room for criticism. But I see McConnell as a guy that has been quite loyal to conservative Republican principles.  Perfect?  No.  But pretty damn good.

Perhaps the best way to judge Mitch McConnell is not based on the Trump’s irrational bitterness but on the animosity heaped on the Minority Leader by those on the left – Democrats and the media.  I would take their uncompromised and unbridled hatred for McConnell as sufficient evidence that he is doing a good job for the Republican Party and the conservative values that I embrace – despite Trump’s current opinion.