McConnell Whines About J6, Hasn’t Spoken with Trump in ‘Quite a While’
After stepping down from his role as Senate leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell has wasted no time in criticizing President Donald Trump.
During a "60 Minutes" interview with anchor Leslie Stahl, the Kentucky senator took issue with Trump's decision to pardon individuals involved in the Capitol riot while also revealing that he has not communicated with the president for "quite a while."
Trump granted clemency to nearly 1,500 individuals incarcerated for their involvement in the events at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, just hours after his inauguration on January 20.
Below is a transcript of their exchange:
STAHL: "How would you describe your relationship with President Trump?"
McConnell: "Well, we haven’t spoken for quite a while. I was very upset about what happened January 6."
STAHL: "You had to be evacuated from the Senate, along with other leaders. Your staff was in your office. The rioters were banging on your door. Someone with a flagpole broke a window into your office."
McConnell: "Well, my staff in the Capitol was putting furniture up against the doors."
STAHL: "To prevent them from — "
McConnell: "To prevent the rioters from outside from breaking the doors and getting at them. And what was it about? To try to prevent the orderly transfer of government, which has never happened in our country."
STAHL: "Your staff, after the crisis was over, you went and spoke with them. It was a highly emotional situation. You remember?"
McConnell: "Oh, I remember well."
STAHL: "Do you remember what you told them?"
McConnell: "That — yeah, I remember what I told them."
STAHL (voice-over): "That emotion turned to fury."
McConnell: "President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day."
McConnell: "That’s the way I still feel about it."
STAHL: "What are your views on President Trump and his supporters trying to change what happened on January 6? They’re calling it a ‘day of love.’ They called the rioters ‘martyrs.’"
McConnell: "Yeah. No, it — it was an insurrection."
STAHL: "What about the pardons for the people who stormed the Capitol that day?"
McConnell: "I think pardoning the people who’ve been convicted is a mistake."
McConnell faced backlash last month after voting against Pete Hegseth, who was ultimately confirmed as Secretary of Defense.
Conservatives on X erupted in anger at the 82-year-old senator, making their displeasure clear.
“WTF? Mitch McConnell immediately walked over and CELEBRATED with the Democrats after voting against Hegseth. This man HAS TO GO in 2026. The people of Kentucky voted for Trump’s mandate—not this anti-Trump BS,” conservative commentator Nick Sortor wrote, sharing a video of the moment.
“After voting against Pete Hegseth, Mitch McConnell went to the left side of the aisle to hang out with Democrats,” Tim Young commented alongside a photo.
“Mitch McConnell just voted NO on President Trump’s secretary of defense nominee. This led to VP Vance having to rush down to cast a tie-breaking vote, only the 2nd such vote in U.S. history. As Republican Senators gather around to congratulate Vance, notice McConnell walk over and SHAKE HANDS with the Democrats. If you thought RFK Jr and Tulsi was going to be easy—think again. The GOP Establishment isn’t going down without a fight. Get ready,” another X user warned, hinting at future challenges for Trump’s more contentious nominees.
“Mitch McConnell is the Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. Majority Leader John Thune should remove him from that committee,” another user insisted.
“Mitch McConnell should be censured, primaried, voted out of office, and ostracized from the Republican Party. There is no place for deep state RINOs in President Trump’s GOP,” Brigitte Gabriel, founder of ACT for America, declared.
A reporter later asked Trump about McConnell’s "no" vote. The former president seemed unconcerned, saying he had just learned about it. "Winning is what matters, right?" he remarked.