“The Republican Senate needs new leadership,” Trump said, adding that for a long time he has doubted McConnell’s ability to lead his caucus, especially under such pressures.

“Mitch is not the guy, not the right guy, he’s not doing the job,” he said. “He gave [Sen. Charles Schumer of New York and his Democrats] a lifeline – it’s more than a lifeline, he gave them so much time to figure out what to do because they were in a big bind; they were unable to do anything.”

“He had the weapon and he was able to use it. It’s a shame,” the Palm Beach Republican continued. “That’s not a good thing that happened today. He made a big mistake.”