Trump Blasts McConnell Over Debt Ceiling Deal With Democrats

On Saturday, former President Donald Trump blasted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) for allowing Senate Democrats to pass a temporary debt ceiling hike. 

Trump delivered the comments at a rally in Iowa, along with three other Republican state officials: Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-Iowa), Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

“To think we had 11 Republicans go along with an extension. Headed up by Mitch McConnell, can you believe that?” Trump said Saturday. “And you know what it does? It gives the Democrats more time, two months, gives them more time to figure it out. They can now have two more months to figure it out how to screw us, ok.”

After the long partisan deadlock regarding the debt ceiling issue, McConnell eventually comprised and made a deal with the Democrats. The Senate voted 50-48 to extend the debt ceiling until December temporarily. 

Trump then also took a moment to criticize McConnell for not siding him with his “election fraud” claims last year. Since his defeat, Trump has sought to use his position to press high-profile Republican officials, including McConnell, to overturn the election results.

Once a strong supporter of Trump, McConnell turned his back on the former president since his defeat and even blamed him for the deadly outcome of the January 6 riot.

“Mitch McConnell should have challenged that election, because even back then we had plenty of material to challenge that election. He should have challenged the election,” Trump said. “He’s only a leader because he raises a lot of money and he gives it to senators, that’s the only thing he’s got. That’s his only form of leadership.”

This is not the first time that the former president criticized McConnell at a rally. In July, Trump referred to McConnell as an “old crow” at a rally in Arizona.