Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday lashed out at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his wife, former Trump administration secretary of transportation Elaine Chao, for “unnecessary unrest” within the GOP in the wake of the House Republican leader , Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) failure to win the Lower House Speakership.
“There is so much unnecessary turmoil in the Republican Party,” Trump said, saying the disorder is largely due to McConnell, Chao and their “RINO” allies, using an acronym for “Republicans in name only.”
The statement is the latest example of Trump attacking not only McConnell but also his wife, who last month denounced the former president’s frequent use of a racist nickname for her. Trump repeated the nickname in his final statement.
The former president’s comments came just after the House passed three votes for Speaker on Tuesday, only to adjourn without a winner.
Democrat Hakeem Jeffries (NY) came out ahead of McCarthy in all three ballots, but neither candidate got the 218 needed to take the top spot — despite Republicans holding 222 seats after this year’s midterm elections.
Nineteen Republicans voted against McCarthy in the first two votes, and the number of dissenters rose to 20 in the third round.
Trump had initially tried to help McCarthy get the votes he needed, but declined on Tuesday, saying whether he would continue to support the legislature after losing three straight elections.
The House will move to a fourth ballot when they reconvene at noon on Wednesday, and the process will continue until a candidate has cast a majority of lawmakers.
Trump has long made his claim for McConnell and for his former Secretary of Transportation. McConnell’s withdrawal from the former president continues to enrage Trump — and Chao resigned after the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
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