Mitch McConnell — who Donald Trump continually mocked and criticized — says he would still back Trump if he becomes the GOP's 2024 presidential candidate

McConnell said he would back Trump if the former president were to win the GOP presidential nomination.

In an interview with Jonathan Swan, McConnell outlined his stance on Trump.

Help me understand this. I watched your speech on the Senate floor after the second impeachment vote for Donald Trump. Swan said that the February 13, 2021, speech from McConnell was an extraordinary speech.

You spoke against the most powerful person in the party. Donald Trump was morally responsible for provoking the events of January 6 because of his actions preceding the insurrection.

McConnell said that it should not be a front-page headline that he would support the Republican nominee.

McConnell said he has an obligation to support the nominee of his party.

It is not at all inconsistent. McConnell said that he stood by everything he said about January 6 and February 13.

I don't get to pick the Republican nominee. He said that they are elected by Republican voters all over the country.

Swan said that Cheney thought there were more important things than party loyalty and that she held a similar view to McConnell on Trump's responsibility for the January 6 riot.

I am actually trying to understand. Swan pressed, "Is there any threshold for you?"

McConnell said that he said many things that people don't understand.

McConnell said that he would back Trump if he became the GOP's nominee in four years.

In November, Trump hit out at McConnell. The former president called McConnell an " acronym for Republican In Name Only" for supporting the infrastructure bill. He gave McConnell the nickname "Old Crow" and accused him ofjeopardizing other Republican senators.

He called McConnell aloser for defending GOP Sen. Mike Rounds.

In February, Trump asked Scott to challenge McConnell for the Senate GOP leader. Rumors that Trump might try to oust McConnell as majority leader if the GOP took the Senate in the elections were brushed off.

McConnell broke with Trump. He said in February that he would not be in favor of shortening the sentences of the January 6 rioters. The New York Times reported in February that McConnell was working behind the scenes to ensure that Trump did not win the Senate primaries.

Trump has not officially announced his campaign.