McConnell endorses Trump after Haley exits race

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., endorsed former President Donald Trump, despite previous spats between the two, after GOP candidate Nikki Haley dropped out of the candidate on Wednesday.

"It is abundantly clear that former President Trump has earned the requisite support of Republican voters to be our nominee for President of the United States," McConnell said, according to The Washington Post.

"During his presidency, we worked together to accomplish great things for the American people including tax reform that supercharged our economy and a generational change of our federal judiciary — most importantly, the Supreme Court," he also said. "I look forward to the opportunity of switching from playing defense against the terrible policies the Biden administration has pursued to a sustained offense geared towards making a real difference in improving the lives of the American people."

McConnell, who is resigning as Senate GOP leader this fall, made his announcement less than an hour after former South Carolina Gov. Haley suspended her Republican presidential campaign.

Trump has publicly feuded with McConnell on several occasions since the 2020 election. For example, in 2021, Trump said: "The Republican Party can never again be respected or strong with political 'leaders' like Sen. Mitch McConnell at its helm." 

In 2022, Trump called the Kentucky Republican "one of the worst & most unpopular politicians."

Follow Madeleine Hubbard on X or Instagram.