Former President Donald Trump sharply criticized Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Friday, calling the fellow Republican’s negotiations with Democrats on a spending bill a “total betrayal.”
“Mitch McConnell has the power to get everything Republicans want, yet he’s giving it all away to the Democrats. Why would he do that?” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
He continued, “The ‘Omnibus’ they’re working on is a disaster for our Country, and will further destroy our economy. It is yet another total betrayal of the great voters of America.”
Trump’s comments came a day after Congress agreed on a one-week spending bill that prevents a government shutdown. Lawmakers from both parties will now attempt to craft a longer-term omnibus package that is expected to reach $1.7 trillion and last through September.
Though McConnell has expressed his desire to get a deal done, multiple members of the GOP prefer a larger spending deal be pushed off until January when the Republicans can take advantage of their new majority in the House for better leverage in negotiations.
In addition to Trump, several other prominent Republicans have recently publicly spoken out against the Kentucky lawmaker for his willingness to work on a spending deal with Democrats. Among those who have assailed McConnell are House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.
In his Truth Social message, Trump attacked McConnell and other Republicans who aren’t attempting to delay a spending package until 2023.
“Republicans have to stay strong and wait to negotiate a proper spending bill, and the debt ceiling, after taking control of the House on January 3rd!” he wrote.
Trump’s comments were similar to ones made by Greene on Twitter Wednesday.
“Mitch McConnell is the reason Democrats are on the verge of passing a huge TRILLION dollar Democrat controlled Omnibus spending bill in the late hours of this lame duck session,” Greene wrote. “McConnell should only agree to a short term CR [continuing resolution] into ’23 to allow the Republican controlled House to make the appropriations bills next year.”
She added, “Every Republican in the country should be demanding Mitch McConnell actually do his job as Republican leader in the Senate and stop helping [President Joe] Biden and the Democrats continue to destroy our country. Pass a CR into ’23 and NO OMNIBUS!!!”
Last week, McCarthy said during an appearance on Fox News that Republicans who are working on a larger spending deal with Democrats are “wrong” to do so, and the issue should wait until the new year. When host Laura Ingraham asked if his statement included McConnell, McCarthy answered in the affirmative.
Meanwhile, Trump has frequently made disparaging comments about McConnell after the senator refused to accept Trump’s false claims about voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Among the negative remarks Trump has made about McConnell include calling him “Old Crow” and a “RINO [Republican in Name Only].”
Newsweek has reached out to McConnell and Trump for comment.
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