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Mitch McConnell (left) with Trump (2017)
Photo: Evan Vucci/ AP
Leading Republican Mitch McConnell indirectly criticized the ex-president after Donald Trump's dinner with rapper Kanye West.
The Republican minority leader in the US Senate said there was no place for anti-Semitism and racism in the Republican Party.
"And anyone who meets with people who take such a stand will, in my opinion, most likely never be elected President of the United States," McConnell continued - without explicitly naming Trump.
When asked whether he would support Trump if he won the party's internal race for the presidency, McConnell dodged and did not give a clear answer.
Trump hosted rapper West, now called Ye, for dinner at his Mar-a-Lago, Florida estate last week.
The right-wing extremist nationalist Nick Fuentes was there.
West and Fuentes are known for spreading conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic slogans.
Trump subsequently denied having known Fuentes before.
McConnell had blamed Trump for the storming of the Capitol by his supporters in the period after January 6, 2021 - but still voted against Trump's conviction.
McConnell had repeatedly criticized Trump afterward, but never broke with him.
Just a few months ago, the 80-year-old said he would support Trump if he became his party's presidential candidate.
Trump often addresses McConnell in his speeches.
Greene successful - Lake not so much
After the meeting, criticism was raised in the Republican Party.
A number of leading politicians defended Trump in the same breath.
Racist or anti-Semitic statements have not necessarily led to the end of a political career among Republicans in the recent past.
The best-known example of this is Trump loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene.
For them, conspiracy nonsense and open hate speech have become a brand.
However, other extreme candidates were punished in the midterm elections earlier this month.
A prominent example is Kari Lake, who lost the Arizona gubernatorial election.
jok/dpa
