Mitch McConnell is sounding an alarm. The longtime Republican senator says the United States is entering “the most dangerous period since before World War II.”
In a rare interview with The Lexington Herald-Leader, McConnell drew direct comparisons between today and the 1930s. He pointed to tariffs, global tensions, and the rise of hostile powers abroad.
“There’s certain similarities right now to the ‘30s,” McConnell said. “Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley tariff bill in 1930, widely believed by historians and economists to have taken the depression worldwide. Those who were totally anxious to stay out of all of what was going on in Europe were called ‘America First.’ Sound familiar?”
The 83-year-old senator from Kentucky announced earlier this year that he will not seek reelection in 2026. He stepped down as Senate Republican leader after a record 18 years in the role. McConnell has faced health concerns but remains active in foreign policy debates.
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His latest warning comes as world leaders in Beijing — including Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un — present a united front against the United States. McConnell said the U.S. is not ready.
“When you talk about preparedness, we’re not prepared like we should be,” he said.
He cited Trump’s trade policies and foreign stances as dangerous. “So what do we have today? North Korea, China, Russia, Iran and Iran’s proxies. They’re very different kinds of countries, but they have one thing in common: They hate us.”
McConnell has had a complicated relationship with Trump. He opposed Trump’s second impeachment after the January 6 attack, even though his influence could have ended Trump’s political career. He helped deliver Trump’s conservative judicial agenda, reshaping the Supreme Court with a 6–3 majority. Yet he has also criticized Trump’s policies and temperament.
“It never occurred to me that Donald Trump would actually get elected,” McConnell said. “When he did, we had the Supreme Court vacancy sitting there, and an opportunity to change the court system with quality strict constructionists for a long time.”
McConnell did not address Trump’s own authoritarian behavior. Instead, he focused on foreign threats and economic fallout. On Ukraine, McConnell made his position clear.
“With regard to Ukraine, what we need to do is avoid the headline at the end of the war, ‘Russia wins, America loses.’ It has huge worldwide implications.”
He also defended U.S. spending on Ukraine’s defense. “For those who are concerned about the money, I think it’s important to remember that about half of the money was spent in this country, including in Kentucky, [with] 38 states modernizing our own industrial bases,” McConnell said. “We’ve sent older weapons to Ukraine.”
Trump has not held back in insulting McConnell. He once called him “a dumb son of a bitch” and mocked him as “Old Crow.” McConnell, for his part, refused to fire back in this interview.
“My own view about the leader job, whether you’re the president or the leader of one of the parties, is the Ronald Reagan quote that I thought made the most sense. He had what he called the 11th commandment: ‘Do not speak ill of another Republican.’”
Featured image via X screengrab
