CNN
By Morgan Rimmer and Clare Foran, CNN
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell criticized former President Donald Trump’s comments in a Truth Social post earlier this week calling for the “termination” of the Constitution.
“Let me just say that anyone who is running for the presidency and thinks that the Constitution could be suspended or unenforced in any way, it seems to me that they are going to have a very difficult time taking the oath of office as president of the United States,” McConnell said.
McConnell did not say whether he would support Trump if he wins the Republican nomination in 2024 when asked by CNN’s Manu Raju.
“What I am saying is that it would be very difficult to be sworn in for the presidency if you are not willing to defend the Constitution,” McConnell responded. “That’s what I said, and I just said it again.”
Republicans returned to Washington on Monday forced to deal with the latest controversy fueled by Trump. After days of silence on Trump’s call to end the Constitution, several top Senate Republicans they have now condemned the comment. But even among those who have spoken out, few have said outright that he should disqualify Trump from running for the White House again, while many more of Hill’s Republicans have so far remained silent on the issue.
“I fully support the Constitution,” House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy told CNN on Tuesday as he walked onto the House floor when asked about Trump’s comments. He did not elaborate.
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican, avoided condemning Trump when asked about the former president’s call to scrap the Constitution to repeal the 2020 election and, in Instead, he focused on talking about the importance of the document.
Initially, when asked by CNN, Scalise disputed the characterization that Trump called for termination of the Constitution.
When reading Trump’s comments verbatim, Scalise said: “I didn’t see that, but I don’t support it, obviously I’m a strong supporter of the Constitution.”
“After the Bible, it is the most important document in the history of the world,” he added.
Asked if Trump should stop denying the election while he campaigns for 2024, Scalise said: “How he runs his campaign” is up to him.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
The CNN Wire
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CNN’s Manu Raju, Daniella Diaz and Melanie Zanona contributed to this report.
