The former president and Senate GOP leader set aside their yearslong rivalry to strategize about the GOP’s future and retaking the Senate majority.
Speaking with the former president for the first time since before the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, McConnell shook hands with Trump as they greeted for aThe two sat next to one another, at one point even fist-bumping, at what was described as a cordial meeting with a “gracious” Trump, according to other Republican senators in attendance.
Trump was in town to meet with the Business Roundtable lobbying group and met earlier in the day with House Republicans. Republican senators vying to be Trump’s running mate or seeking to be McConnell’s successor as the next GOP leader cozied up to the presidential candidate, ensuring they were in frame with him during Trump’s remarks. That included Sens. Rick Scott and Minority Whip John Thune , who are running to be party leader, and Sen. Tim Scott , one of several on Trump’s short list for vice president.
Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski , longtime opponents of Trump, did not attend. Sen. Bill Cassidy was initially noncommittal but ultimately attended. Collins, Murkowski, Cassidy, and Romney are the remaining senators in Congress who voted to convict Trump during the Senate’s impeachment trial.
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