President Trump panned Sen. Mitch McConnell’s performance when he led Republicans in the upper chamber, saying that he “felt sorry” for him and that he was not “mentally equipped” to lead the Senate GOP for the past decade.

“He let the Republican Party go to hell. If I didn’t come along, the Republican Party wouldn’t even exist right now. Mitch McConnell never really had it,” Mr. Trump said when asked for his thoughts on the Kentucky Republican’s votes against his nominees.

Mr. McConnell has refused to vote to confirm Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

Mr. Trump said that Mr. McConnell managed to stay in power because he had “an ability to raise money because of his position as leader, which anybody could do.”

Mr. McConnell, 82, and Mr. Trump have been longtime political foes and the former Senate Republican leader only reluctantly endorsed Mr. Trump’s run for the presidency in March 2024 after his Super Tuesday blowout win effectively clinched a third GOP nomination.

Mr. McConnell, put out his endorsement moments after Mr. Trump’s sole remaining opponent, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, had dropped out of the race.

Mr. Trump for years has worked to push Mr. McConnell out of the party, giving him the ugly nickname “Old Crow Mitch.” He also had derided his wife Elaine Chao, who served as Mr. Trump’s transportation secretary and is of Chinese descent, as “Coco Chow.”

Their fraught relationship crumbled after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, which Mr. McConnell blamed on Mr. Trump.

• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.