McConnell lets loose on Trump on his way to Senate retirement

Published May 31, 2026 7:00am ET



Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is sailing into retirement with a political luxury he never had as Senate GOP leader: the chance to openly break with President Donald Trump.

Some of McConnell’s most biting criticism came last week when he denounced an “anti-weaponization” fund the Justice Department might use to compensate those pardoned after storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.