Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell endorses Trump for president

WASHINGTON — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed Donald Trump for president Wednesday, a remarkable turnaround from the onetime critic who blamed the former president for “disgraceful” acts in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack but now supports his bid to return to the White House.

McConnell, who was the last top GOP leader in Congress to fall in line with Trump, declared his support in a short statement after Super Tuesday wins pushed the GOP front-runner closer to the party nomination.

The two men had not spoken since 2020 when McConnell declared Democrat Joe Biden the winner of the that year’s presidential election. But more recently, their teams had reopened talks about an endorsement.

“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 in a statement. “It should come as no surprise that as nominee, he will have my support.”