Donald Trump Ramps Up Attacks on Mitch McConnell After Praise of Infrastructure Bill

Former President Donald Trump has strongly criticized Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for supporting a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that will soon be signed by President Joe Biden.

Trump issued a statement on Wednesday saying McConnell had been "incapable" of passing an infrastructure package during the former president's administration and accusing him of helping the Democrats.

The most recent comments are the latest in Trump's ongoing criticism of McConnell since the Kentucky Republican refused to support efforts to reject Electoral College votes on January 6.

Trump spokesperson Liz Harrington shared the former president's statement on Twitter.

"Why is it that Old Crow Mitch McConnell voted for a terrible Democrat Socialist Infrastructure Plan, and induced others in his Party to do likewise, when he was incapable of getting a great Infrastructure Plan wanting to be put forward by me and the Republican Party?" the statement said.

"He continuously said he couldn't get it passed, just like I had to go around him to get the very popular Southern Border Wall built (which caused great delay—but could now be completed in one month by Biden)," Trump went on.

"All of the Infrastructure money, $2 Trillion would have gone into real Infrastructure (roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, etc). Also, why did Mitch give the Democrats a two-month hiatus, just long enough for them to figure it all out, when they were completely ready to fold?" he said.

Trump was referring to McConnell's decision in October to lift the federal debt ceiling for two months in order to avoid a potential sovereign debt default that may have fallen on October 18.

McConnell has welcomed the bipartisan bill and was one of 19 Republican senators who voted in favor of it in August. The bill passed the House of Representatives late on Friday by a vote of 228 to 206 following a delay and wrangling between moderate and progressive Democrats.

McConnell twice praised the infrastructure package at events in Kentucky on Monday. Speaking in Morehead, the Republican mentioned that the state had scored a C on its infrastructure report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

"I'm surprised we even got a C," McConnell said. "We have a lot of infrastructure needs, both in rural areas and with big bridges. It's a godsend for Kentucky."

McConnell also discussed the bill during a visit to Covington, Kentucky on Monday, and suggested some of the funds could go toward repairs to the Brent Spence Bridge, which was declared functionally obsolete by the Federal Highway Administration in the 1990s.

"I was delighted the House finally found a way to pass the infrastructure bill last week," McConnell said.

"This will be the first time I have come up here in a quarter of a century where I thought maybe there was a way forward on the Brent Spence Bridge," he said.

The bill, which President Biden is expected to sign later this month, contains $110 billion for roads and bridges as well as $39 billion to improve public transit and $65 billion for freight and passenger rail.

Update 11/10/21 10.18a.m. E.T.: This article was updated to include a new picture.