Mitch McConnell slammed as he finally comes to Donald Trump’s defense after hush money guilty verdict

WASHINGTON, DC: Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), who has long maintained a cautious distance from former President Donald Trump, broke his silence on Thursday night, May 30.

In a surprising move, McConnell came to Trump’s defense just hours after the jury delivered a guilty verdict.

Mitch McConnell’s surprising defense of Donald Trump

In a post on the social media platform X, McConnell criticized the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for bringing the case against Trump and predicted the conviction would not stand. “These charges never should have been brought in the first place. I expect the conviction to be overturned on appeal,” McConnell wrote.

This public defense of Trump marks a notable shift for McConnell, who has previously refrained from commenting on the former president’s legal troubles. The move may signal a potential unification within the GOP, as even Trump's skeptics rally to his defense in the face of what they perceive as a politically motivated prosecution.

McConnell’s decision to speak out now is particularly striking given his past reticence. Last year, when Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts brought by Bragg, McConnell chose to remain silent.

At that time, many Republicans still harbored hopes that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis or another candidate might emerge as a viable alternative to Trump in the presidential primaries.

However, the political landscape has shifted significantly since then. Trump has dominated the primary race, making him the likely GOP nominee. Despite his frontrunner status, Trump has struggled to unify the party.

Significant portions of GOP primary voters, including those in Indiana, have cast their votes for other candidates, such as former US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, even after she withdrew from the race in March.

Thursday’s verdict might be the catalyst needed to bring skeptical mainstream Republicans closer to Trump, The Hill reported.

Lawmakers react to Donald Trump's hush money conviction

Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), a leading moderate in the Senate GOP who previously voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial, also criticized Bragg’s actions.

“It is fundamental to our American system of justice that the government prosecutes cases because of alleged criminal conduct regardless of who the defendant happens to be. In this case, the opposite has happened. The district attorney, who campaigned on a promise to prosecute Donald Trump, brought these charges precisely because of who the defendant was rather than because of any specified criminal conduct,” Collins stated.

“The political underpinnings of this case further blur the lines between the judicial system and the electoral system, and this verdict likely will be the subject of a protracted appeals process,” she added.

Other Republican senators, even those not particularly close to Trump, echoed similar sentiments. Senate Republican Whip John Thune (SD), who has had his own conflicts with Trump, described the case as politically motivated.

“This case was politically motivated from the beginning, and today’s verdict does nothing to absolve the partisan nature of this prosecution,” Thune said.

Despite past tensions, Thune emphasized the importance of uniting against President Joe Biden and the current administration. “Regardless of outcome, more and more Americans are realizing that we cannot survive four more years of Joe Biden. With President Trump in the White House and a Republican majority in the US Senate, we can finally end the disastrous Biden-Schumer agenda that’s crushing American families and businesses,” Thune added.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) responded to the verdict and McConnell’s criticism by underscoring the principle that “no one is above the law." He added, "The verdict speaks for itself."

Internet slams Mitch McConnell

McConnell’s sudden defense of Trump did not go unnoticed on social media, where he faced a barrage of criticism.

"You funded the prosecution, dips**t," one posted on X.

"Which staffer unfroze Glitch McConnell from a meat locker in the Capitol this evening?" another quipped.

"A little late, aren’t you? Shame on you," someone else fumed.

"Weird how we all expected you to continue to be a traitor," a comment read.

"You did nothing to help or protect Trump. You should probably leave now," another insisted.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.