Mitch McConnell Accused Of Taking ‘Revenge’ On Trump With Cabinet Votes

Consolidated News Photos / Shutterstock.com

Axios accused former Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell of taking “revenge” against President Donald Trump’s total overhaul of the Republican party by trying to block his cabinet confirmations.

McConnell, one of the formerly highest-ranking Republican leaders in U.S. history, was the lone member of his party to vote against Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation as Director of National Intelligence. He spoke out emphatically against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation as Health and Human Services Secretary, and joined a small handful of other Republicans in voting against Pete Hegseth’s confirmation as Defense Secretary.

The former leader of the party published a scathing op-ed in early February about Trump’s tariff approach as leverage to ensure American needs are met by our global neighbors. McConnell is 82-years-old and up for reelection in 2026, Axios added. It is unclear whether or not he’ll seek another term. The outlet believes that his stance — vehemently against many of Trump’s cabinet — means McConnell does not intend to run again. (RELATED: Trump’s Cabinet Confirmations (UPDATED))

How Did Trump Respond?

“Well, I feel sorry for Mitch,” Trump said on the matter.

“He’s not equipped to be leader, mentally. He never was. Under him, the Republican Party was going to H*ll. McConnell never really had it. He had votes because he gave money to senators. I was the one that got McConnell to drop out of the leadership position. He’s not voting against Bobby [Kennedy], he’s voting against me. He’s a very bitter guy. But we have a very strong party, and he’s lost his power. It’s affected his vote.”

Kentucky Can Show Up

Even though the voter turnout in the 2019 Kentucky primary was reportedly higher than anticipated, the number was still dismally low given the importance of local-level politics. Reports from WPSD said roughly 19.26% of voters actually turned out. Even if McConnell doesn’t run for reelections, Kentucky citizens have a lot on the line in 2026.

Only 18.3% of Republicans turned up in 2019. This number went up to 64.4%, with Republicans beating Democrats in overall turn out in the 2020 election. McConnell actually promised to retire from his position in January 2025, so it is unclear why this hasn’t happened yet. (RELATED: Wisconsin Voters Can Change Their Lives In Feb & April: What You Need To Know)

“Believe me, I know the politics within my party at this particular moment in time. I have many faults. Misunderstanding politics is not one of them,” he claimed at the time. “But now it’s 2024. As Ecclesiastes tells us, to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. One of life’s most under-appreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter. So I stand before you today, Mr. President and my colleagues, to say this will be my last term as Republican leader.”

What Do You Want From Your State & Local Officials?

Here at Million Voices, we don’t do “breaking” news. We cover stories based on how important they are to you, dear reader, and our beloved members. We want you to be able to take action with what you read today, so here’s what you need to know:

Changing your world starts with your locally elected officials, and goes all the way up to the White House. Did you know that it is your responsibility to tell your lawmakers what you want to happen during their time in office? Just because you voted for them in November (or maybe you didn’t) doesn’t mean your role in shaping America’s future is over. Now is the time to actually engage with your lawmakers by lobbying them to support the change YOU want to see.

Yes, Million Voices helps you with voter guides. Yes, we send letters from YOU directly to your elected officials because it’s the only way to guarantee they’ll listen to you. Yes, we publish data, articles, text messages, and help bridge the gap between education and civic action.

We want to make YOU the hero of our American story by giving you the tools you need to make a difference, from your local, state, all the way up to the federal level.

Join us in our mission to advocate for religious freedom, support fair and secure elections, and uphold the values that this great nation was built upon. Tell us what you want from the next four years, and we will fight to make it a reality … again!