The morning after Donald Trump won a long list of states on Super Tuesday, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley announced that she was dropping out of the race. Haley congratulated Trump during a brief concession speech but didn't endorse him — although she didn't rule out the possibility of an endorsement at some point.
Another prominent Republican, however, did give Trump an official endorsement on Wednesday morning, March 6: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky).
Despite all the bad blood between Trump and McConnell during the Biden era, the Kentucky senator announced, "It is abundantly clear that former President Trump has earned the requisite support of Republican voters to be our nominee for president of the United States. It should come as no surprise that as nominee, he will have my support."
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McConnell's endorsement is drawing plenty of scathing criticism on X, formerly Twitter.
The American Enterprise Institute's Norman Ornstein tweeted, "Mitch McConnell, once again, demonstrates a level of moral cowardice that is destructive and pathetic. He was responsible for letting Trump off the hook, and having him as the Republican nominee when he deep sixed impeachment trial. Now he endorses the vicious autocrat. Shame."
The Lincoln Project's Rick Wilson, a Never Trump conservative and former GOP strategist who is supporting Biden, views the endorsement as pointless in light of the fact that McConnell is leaving his position as Senate GOP leader in November.
Wilson tweeted, "I mean, it's not like Mitch McConnell is going to become a working lobbyist when he leaves. There's literally nothing in the realm of reason that drives an endorsement of Trump, aside from wanting his grave to reek of ammonia."
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Former federal prosecutor Joyce White Vance posted, "Not exactly a rousing endorsement. McConnell has always lacked the courage to do the right thing when it comes to Trump."
Democratic activist Victor Shi commented, "'Leader' Mitch McConnell just endorsed Donald Trump. Just as pathetic, just as spineless, just as cowardly, just as weak as Mitch McConnell always has been. Screw Mitch McConnell & every Republican who's going to fall back in line with Trump. They are all political tools."
Shi also posted, "You simply can't say you support the rule of law, the constitution, our democracy, women, and traditional Republican principles & values if you're going to end up coming out and endorsing Donald Trump. It's the height of hypocrisy & cowardice. Time to unite around Biden."
Liberal activist and Biden supporter Carole Taubman said of McConnell, "If you had just voted to impeach, we would not be in this damn mess."
The conservative group Republicans Against Trump responded to McConnell's endorsement by tweeting video of McConnell lambasting Trump after the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol Building.
X user Russell Drew tweeted, "Sen. Mitch McConnell is a cowardly, feckless shell of a man who of course was never going to show any real courage. Just like the rest of the Republican Party, he's ready to allow America to descend into Trumpian fascism as long as he can protect his own perks and privileges."
Author Jason Overstreet commented, "Mitch McConnell was so horrified by Donald Trump trying to overthrow the government that he has decided to endorse him today. Mitch McConnell, the man President Biden calls a 'friend' and a 'man of honor.' We are in hell."
Writer/attorney Amee Vanderpool wrote, "Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed Donald Trump for president Wednesday, because he's a spineless coward."
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