After four years of ignoring each other, former President Donald Trump and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell broke the awkward ice and spoke at a rally on Thursday.
The bad blood between the two — which started after Trump first began denying the 2020 election results and intensified after the January 6 riot — may now be water under the bridge.
At a meeting with Republican senators near Capitol Hill aimed at uniting the party around their presumptive presidential nominee, McConnell sat to Trump’s right as he addressed the conference.
At one point, the former president even patted the 82-year-old Senate Republican on the back and exchanged brief remarks with his former foe, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who was in the room, speaking exclusively to DailyMail. com was announced.
“I didn’t hear any other conversation, but he was very friendly when Trump came in, you know, McConnell had chosen to sit on Trump’s right hand and so he walked right up to him, shook his hand first,” Hawley said .
“It was hot,” he continued. “It was a bit of a pat on the back, and he did the same afterwards.”
“So yeah, there were and there weren’t any little barbs, which would be easy to do,” he continued.
On Tuesday, McConnell signaled that he and Trump had put aside their differences, but left reporters unsure whether the two would break their silence.
“Three years ago, right after the Capitol was attacked, I said I would support our candidate no matter who it was, including him,” McConnell said at a press event.
“I said earlier this year that I support him, he has earned the nomination from voters across the country,” he continued, adding, “and of course I will be at the rally tomorrow.”
Trump previously called McConnell an “old crow” and insulted his wife – former Transportation Secretary Elain Chao, who served in the former president’s Cabinet.
At the time, the Senate Republican took the insult to heart, saying, “It’s actually quite an honor.”
“Old Crow is Henry Clay’s favorite bourbon,” McConnell added.
Donald Trump gives a fist pump to supporters after meeting with Senator Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republican Conference. It was the first time he had spoken to McConnell in years
Former President Donald Trump, accompanied by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. when he arrives on Capitol Hill on October 24, 2017. The two were friends during Trump’s presidential term and worked closely to get legislation like Trump’s tax reforms through Congress
Trump went out of his way to be particularly cordial to McConnell after their years of division, Hawley said
Although the Senate minority leader kept his cards close to his chest on whether he and Trump would mend their rocky relationship, the two came together as Trump rallied support from Republicans in the House and told them his priorities.
Hawley said Trump focused heavily on the border and the economy.
Also, “He was talking about there being no tax on tips,” Hawley said.
Over the weekend, Trump touted a plan to lower taxes on tips — a popular policy among the many service workers he addressed in Las Vegas.
“For those hotel workers and people who get tips, you’re going to be very happy because when I get to the office, we’re not going to tax tips,” he said as the crowd cheered.
Any attempt to change the tax system would have to go through Congress – and it appeared the Senate Republican Party agreed with his proposal.
Hawley also highlighted how Trump has faced a lot of criticism from members of the Senate in recent years, saying he has “a lot of persistent critics.”
But he added, “They were almost all in that room and happy to be with him.”
