Mitch McConnell, the longtime Republican senator and former leader of the party in the Senate, warned that the world under President Donald Trump’s second term has entered a dangerous moment, drawing parallels to the years leading up to World War II.
In an interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader published this week, McConnell, who is preparing to close out his political career next year, expressed alarm over tariffs and foreign policy, calling this era “the most dangerous period since before world war two.” He criticized the Trump administration’s reliance on tariffs, comparing it to America’s isolationist stance in the 1930s, which many historians believe contributed to the Great Depression and ultimately global conflict.
Although he voiced concerns about America’s lack of readiness to confront authoritarian regimes, the 83-year-old senator did not address accusations that Trump himself has pursued authoritarian measures.
McConnell also sidestepped his own role in expanding Trump’s influence. As majority leader, he blocked Barack Obama from appointing a Supreme Court justice, while later ensuring Trump secured another nominee in the final weeks of 2020. Those actions solidified a conservative 6-3 Court majority, one that critics contend has leaned heavily in Trump’s favor, particularly with last year’s ruling granting him immunity from prosecution for criminal conduct.
Since stepping down from Senate leadership earlier this year, McConnell said he has focused on “defense and foreign policy” and grown increasingly concerned about the path Trump’s “make America great again” trade agenda is charting.
“I think this is the most dangerous period since before world war two. There’s certain similarities right now to the 30s,” McConnell told the Herald-Leader.
“[Then president] Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley tariff bill in 1930, widely believed by historians and economists to have taken the depression worldwide. Those who were totally anxious to stay out of all of what was going on in Europe were called ‘America First’. Sound familiar?
“So what do we have today? North Korea, China, Russia, Iran and Iran’s proxies. They’re very different kinds of countries, but they have one thing in common: They hate us.”
The remarks came before this week’s summit in Beijing where leaders hostile to Washington—including Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong-un—met in what some analysts described as a historic shift in the global balance of power.
McConnell argued that the U.S. should already have been preparing for the rise of these autocratic powers, pointing indirectly to what he saw as Trump’s mishandling of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The conflict, now in its fourth year, is the largest Europe has faced since World War II.
“When you talk about preparedness, we’re not prepared like we should be,” McConnell said.
“With regard to Ukraine, what we need to do is avoid the headline at the end of the war, ‘Russia wins, America loses.’ It has huge worldwide implications.”
He added that the more than $130 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine had tangible benefits for the United States as well, even as Trump has wavered on the issue.
“For those who are concerned about the money, I think it’s important to remember that about half of the money was spent in this country, including in Kentucky, [with] 38 states modernizing our own industrial bases,” McConnell said. “We’ve sent older weapons to Ukraine.”
Trump has often mocked McConnell since leaving office in 2021, once telling donors that McConnell was “a dumb son of a bitch” and labeling him “Old Crow.” In his interview with the Herald-Leader, McConnell declined to respond in kind.
“My own view about the leader job, whether you’re the president or the leader of one of the parties, is the Ronald Reagan quote that I thought made the most sense. He had what he called the 11th commandment: ‘Do not speak ill of another Republican,’” McConnell said.
Still, he bristled at suggestions that his decision to retire stemmed from declining popularity in Kentucky, a perception fueled by criticism from businessman Nate Morris, a staunch Trump ally and potential Senate successor. “I’m a Trump guy, not a McConnell boy,” Morris has said.
McConnell countered that his long record speaks for itself. “These suggestions about who’s popular and who isn’t irritate the hell out of me, because when you get into the leadership position, you get beat up,” he said.
“How do you judge popularity? Seven victories in Kentucky, nine victories in the [Senate Republican] conference.”
Reflecting on his legacy, McConnell cited his role in the 2004 Kentucky tobacco buyout, which allowed farmers to leave the crop behind, as one of his proudest accomplishments. “At the federal level it would be the courts,” he added.
When asked if the United States was in better shape now than before Trump’s presidency, McConnell demurred. “I’m not sure enough time has passed to start evaluating who made a difference and who didn’t,” he said.
He acknowledged, however, that he has thought about how he will be remembered. “I would like everybody to be able to say, you know, I actually had an impact in a positive way on the country.”
{Matzav.com}
McConnell was dealt with. But key players are brought back in the spotlight for a reason. We’ll soon see.
Haven’t you been saying “soon” for about a decade now?
China Mitch, you’re done, don’t bother us, RINO.