Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) questioned the “courage” of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the top Republican in the Senate, after he attended a meeting with former President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill Thursday.
McConnell had not spoken with Trump since their falling out over the Jan. 6 riot and only begrudgingly endorsed him for president after he locked up the GOP nomination earlier this year.
Republicans critical of Trump in the aftermath of the Capitol attack, including some who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial, were split over whether to attend the meeting, a gathering of Senate Republicans to discuss their 2025 agenda should the party win control of Washington, but McConnell decided to attend.
“Let me just say this. I think there are a good number of Republicans, McConnell included, who know deep in their hearts, deep in their minds, what a danger he is to democracy, and what a disaster he’d be as president,” Schumer said in an appearance on CNN Thursday night.
“McConnell should have had the courage not to show up,” he added. “He knows, I think he knows deep in his heart what Trump is like and what Trump would do.”
Trump has been openly hostile toward McConnell for years, calling him a fake Republican and even hurling racially tinged comments at his wife, Elaine Chao. McConnell, like most of his conference, voted to acquit in Trump’s second impeachment, given he had already left office, but he held the former president “practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day.”
In more recent months, McConnell had adopted a policy of not commenting on Trump or the presidential race.
But the two attempted to repair their relationship on Thursday. Trump struck a conciliatory tone, according to senators who attended, while McConnell described the meeting as “really positive.”
“He and I got a chance to talk a little bit, shook hands a few times,” he told reporters afterward.
“It was an entirely positive meeting,” McConnell added. “I can’t think of anything out of it to tell you that was negative.”
Passing additional funding for the war in Ukraine, something Trump opposes, temporarily united all four corners of congressional leadership despite initial resistance from Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). Congress passed the aid after months of gridlock and multiple concessions to the former president.
But Senate GOP leadership remains at odds with Schumer on just about all other fronts. One Republican leadership aide accused the majority leader of hypocrisy on Israel in response to his attack on McConnell.
“Ah yes, the same courageous Chuck Schumer who routinely trashes our closest ally, calls for Bibi Netanyahu to resign, then invites him to address a joint session of Congress,” the aide said.
Schumer maintains his support for Israel but has been deeply critical of its government, calling for new elections in March.
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Despite their rocky past, Trump has largely aligned himself with McConnell and Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), his campaign deputy, on candidates this cycle. Daines’s efforts to build a close relationship with Trump, in particular, are credited with helping Republicans avoid bitter primaries and preserve resources for the general election.
Senate Republicans have a favorable map and must net as little as one seat to retake the chamber in November. Their meeting with Trump followed a huddle with House Republicans on Thursday morning.
