McConnell says he would support Trump as a 2024 GOP nominee

Minority leader in the Senate Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Clain on Manchin’s objection to Neera Tanden: he ‘won’t answer us in the White House’ Democratic anger with GOP explodes in House Murkowski doesn’t decide Teeth as nomination in limbo MORE (R-Ky.), Who excoriated former just weeks ago President TrumpDonald Trump Senators Are Not Given Timeline On National Guard Removal, Capitol Fence Democratic Fury With GOP Explodes In Home Georgia Secretary Of State Holds Support For ‘Reactionary’ GOP Voting Bills MORE on the Senate floor, who blamed him for the Capitol riot, said on Thursday that he would support Trump if he wins the party’s presidential nomination in 2024.

“There is a lot to happen between now and ’24. I have at least four members who I think are planning to run for president … It should be an open race,” McConnell said in an interview with Bret Baier .

Asked if he would support Trump if he wins the party’s nomination in 2024, McConnell added, “The party’s candidate? Absolutely.”

The statement represents a remarkable turnaround for McConnell, who indicated after the impeachment trial that he wanted his party to turn away sharply from Trump.

That move sparked criticism from other Republicans, and McConnell has been quiet about Trump for the next several weeks.

The comments on Fox News are McConnell’s first to address Trump directly since the former president lashed out in a blistering statement after the GOP leader blamed him for the attack on the Capitol.

McConnell, in the speech on the floor, didn’t sound like a Republican backing the former president again on another flight from the White House.

He said Trump was “morally responsible” for the attack, in which a pro-Trump mob broke through the building in an attempt to stop the Electoral College’s vote counting.

Trump fired back in a statement calling McConnell a “hard-hitting, gruff, and unsmiling political hack.”

McConnell declined to discuss Trump’s criticisms at his weekly press conference. After Baier played a snippet of his speech on the floor where he voiced Trump criticism, McConnell turned to claim that Republicans are targeting unifying President BidenJoe BidenKlain on Manchin’s Objection to Neera Tanden: He’s ‘Not Answering Us in the White House’ Senators Won’t Get Timeline on Removing National Guard, Capitol Fence Overnight Defense: New Senate Armed Services Chairman Talks Pentagon Policy Nominee, Afghanistan, more | Biden reads report on Khashoggi murder | Austin Emphasizes Vaccine Safety in New Video MORE‘s agenda.

“My point is that what happened in the past is irrelevant now, we are moving forward. We have a new government,” he said.

McConnell similarly declined to say whether he blamed Trump for the loss of two senate seats in Georgia or whether he felt the former president should speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Trump will speak there on Sunday.

“I have no advice to give the former president on where to speak or what to say,” McConnell said.

Republicans raged against Trump after the Capitol attack, which directly endangered the former vice president Mike PenceMichael (Mike) Richard Pence The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by The AIDS Institute – Finger point out the Capitol riot; GOP Opposes Contingency Plan For Biden Pence Talks To Senior Members Of Republican Study Committee The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Presented By Facebook – The Supreme Court’s Blow To Trump MORE and legislators in both parties.

But the former president retains an inadequate hold on a voter base Republicans will need to reclaim the House and Senate, and he showed no signs of recoiling from the political spotlight.

McConnell stressed during the Fox News interview that he was trying to unite the party in the meantime. Republicans have 50 seats, putting them on the eve of the majority, but they will also play defense in 20 states by 2022.

“Let’s focus on winning the House and Senate in ’22,” McConnell said, adding that it would give the party’s next presidential candidate “whoever that may be, the best chance of winning.”

McConnell’s comments during his Fox News interview were immediately praised by Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin Graham Passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act Is The First Step To Heal Our Democracy Progressive Support Builds For Lower Courts Expansion McConnell Backs Garland For Attorney General MORE (RS.C.). Graham, who traveled to Florida last weekend to talk to Trump about 2022, had criticized McConnell’s speech.

“Very good statement from Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell tonight on @FoxNews, indicating that he is optimistic about the future of the Republican Party in 2022 and beyond and not looking back,” Graham tweeted.