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Trump rips into McConnell for voting against RFK Jr. : 'He’s not equipped mentally'

The president took aim at the Kentucky senator, with whom he has had an unstable relationship over the years.

McConnell was the only Republican to vote against RFK Jr. in the Senate/ Saul Loeb, Mandel Ngan

McConnell was the only Republican to vote against RFK Jr. in the Senate/ Saul Loeb, Mandel NganAFP

Joaquín Núñez
Published by
Joaquín Núñez

Donald Trump took aim at Mitch McConnell (R-KY) after his vote against the nomination of Robert Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). From the Oval Office, the president claimed his former ally has lost his power in Congress and even doubted his mental acuity.

McConnell was the only Republican in the upper chamber to vote against RFK Jr. who was eventually confirmed with 52 votes in favor and 48 against.

Trump was subsequently asked by CNN's Kaitlan Collins about the Kentucky senator's vote, to which he responded as follows, "I feel sorry for Mitch (...). He wanted to go all the way, and he wanted to remain a leader (in the Senate)."

"He wasn’t equipped 10 years ago, mentally, in my opinion. He let the Republican Party go to hell. If I didn’t come along, the Republican Party wouldn’t even exist right now. Mitch McConnell never really had it," he added.

The senator had already indirectly criticized Kennedy's positions on vaccines, specifically for polio, a disease he had as a young man. However, the president assured that he voted against it had nothing to do with that.

"I have no idea if he had polio. All I can tell you about him is he shouldn’t have been leader, he knows that. He voted against Bobby. He votes against almost everything. He’s a very bitter guy," Trump added. "I was the one that got him to drop out of the leadership position, so he can’t love me. But he’s not voting against Bobby, he’s voting against me. But that’s all right. He endorsed me. You know that Mitch endorsed me, right?" he stated.

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It is unclear whether McConnell will seek another six-year term in the Senate. His seat is up for renewal in 2026, but his age and his relationship with the president, who could be very influential in a potential competitive primary, continue to cast doubt on his future on Capitol Hill.

Should he choose to retire, there is speculation that Daniel Cameron, Kelly Craft, Andy Barr or Nate Morris could be interested in his seat.

Trump and McConnell's turbulent relationship

Already during the 2016 election, and despite an initial skepticism, McConnell endorsed Trump's candidacy and they worked together during four years of government. Although the Kentucky native could not deliver him the "repeal and replace" of Obamacare, he managed to approve three justices for the Supreme Court, the First Step Act and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, among other legislation.

Things between the two began to break down after the 2020 presidential election, when the senator recognized Joe Biden as the winner days after the polls. However, the relationship broke down after Jan. 6, 2021, when he said the attack on Congress was "provoked" by Trump.

Since then, the former president criticizes both McConnell and his wife, Eline Chao, who was part of Trump's cabinet during his first administration, whenever he gets the chance. 

In late 2024, journalist Michael Tackett published an extensive biography of McConnell titled "The Price of Power." According to its contents, based on compilations from the time and many interviews with the senator, McConnell initially backed prosecutor Jack Smith's January 6 case against Donald Trump.


"From the beginning, McConnell thought the charges brought by federal prosecutors against Trump had merit," the journalist wrote in the book, which will be published next Oct. 29. He also claimed that the senator told him there was no doubt "who inspired it" and "I just hope he has to pay a price for it," referring to Jan. 6.
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