Sen. Mitch McConnell said on Sunday that President Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign allies were a bad idea.
In a nationally televised segment of “60 Minutes” he told Lesley Stahl that the tariffs would increase cost on the American consumer.
“It will drive the cost of everything up. In other words, it will be paid for by American consumers. I mean, why would you want to get in a fight with your allies over this?”
However, McConnell, who stepped down from Senate Republican leadership at the end of 2024, said he supports most of the administration’s plans as President Trump embarks on a second term.
“America First - that was what they used in the '30s. And I'm hopeful the new administration will understand and act, not with just language that says America First, but funding that underscores the nature of the threat. Look, what is the situation? North Korea, China, Russia, Iran. This is a huge threat, a fight between the autocrats and the democracies. And when it comes to the democratic world, only one country can lead, that's us.”
McConnell, 82, offered thoughts on President Trump, Jan. 6 rioting and pardons, vaccines and his legacy during the wide-ranging 15-minute interview with Stahl.
“One of my proudest moments was when I looked at Barack Obama in the eye and I said, "Mr. President, you will not fill this Supreme Court vacancy,” he said.
That decision led to the conservative supermajority Supreme Court that is now in place.
McConnell did not say how he would vote this week on the nominations of Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to join the president’s cabinet. McConnell’s vote in the U.S. Senate may be critical to them being approved.
McConnell was one of only three Republicans who voted against Pete Hegseth for defense secretary.
Stahl pressed him on RFK Jr., who has said the polio vaccine killed more people than polio. McConnell is a polio survivor.
“Well, the Polio vaccine has been a huge success,” he said. "Vaccines are critically important to health, to having normal lives.”
As he has publicly said before, he reiterated that granting pardons of those convicted from the Jan. 6 riots was a mistake.
McConnell, who had his differences with the President during his first term, said he has not spoken with Trump for some time.
“I was very upset about what happened January 6.”
He said his staff in the Capitol was putting furniture up against the doors during the riot “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 had never happened in our country.”
Stahl reminded him that he said January 6 was "evidence of Donald Trump's complete unfitness for office."
McConnell answered: “I said, shortly after January 6, that if he were the nominee for president, I would support him.”
“I'm a Republican. I don't get to decide who gets to be president. The American people do. And you have to admit, they did. And he's back.”
Sen. Mitch McConnell R-Ky. cast a no vote for Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary last month. His votes will be critical this week in the U.S. Senate on two other Cabinet candidates. McConnell spoke on "60 Minutes" Sunday night. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
