Trump’s attacks on McConnell seen as prelude to 2024 White House bid

Former President TrumpDonald TrumpThree men indicted for fraud in .5 million scam PAC scheme Judge refuses Trump request to delay release of Jan. 6 docs amid appeal Prince Harry says he warned Twitter’s Dorsey about Jan. 6 riot MORE is refusing to let his feud with Sen. Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellExpanding the Supreme Court to protect reproductive rights On The Money — Biden’s battle with inflation Biden to sign bipartisan infrastructure bill Monday MORE (R-Ky.) die, instead amplifying it in what GOP strategists suspect is an effort to rev up the GOP base ahead of a 2024 campaign for president.

More than anyone else in politics, McConnell, the Senate minority leader, is emblematic of the Republican establishment in Washington and Trump’s repeated salvos against McConnell appear designed to make it clear to GOP base voters that Trump — despite his four years in the White House — would be the true outsider candidate in a 2024 primary.

Trump has signaled his interest in running again for president in other ways, including supporting the work of the Make America Great Again Action super PAC, which held its first fundraising event at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

The former president is framing the 2022 Republican primaries as a choice between his “America First” brand of conservative populism and a party establishment that isn’t entirely in-step with its conservative base.

“It’s the clearest sign he’s running for president,” said Republican strategist Ford O’Connell of Trump’s repeated attacks on McConnell.

Trump’s latest shot was to rip McConnell for being one of 19 Senate Republicans who voted in August for a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package, which the House passed last week, giving President BidenJoe BidenJudge refuses Trump request to delay release of Jan. 6 docs amid appeal On The Money — Biden’s battle with inflation Overnight Defense & National Security — Concerns over Russia grow MORE a major win. 

“Why is it that Old Crow Mitch McConnell voted for a terrible Democrat Socialist Infrastructure Plan, and induced others in his Party to do likewise, when he was incapable of getting a great Infrastructure Plan wanting to be put forward by me and the Republican Party?” Trump fumed in a statement Tuesday. 

Biden and Democrats will be able to point to the largest infrastructure spending bill in history as a significant accomplishment ahead of the 2022 midterms and the 2024 presidential election and conservatives are furious about it. 

Thirteen House Republicans voted for the measure Friday, drawing immediate backlash and condemnation from their more-conservative colleagues.

“What he’s saying is that McConnell isn’t able to keep his caucus in line. The people that are most upset about this bill are the base of the Republican Party and what Donald Trump is saying is, ‘Your party has let you down again and only I can keep them in line,’” O’Connell added.

Ned Ryun, a Trump ally and founder and CEO of American Majority, a conservative group that trains candidates and activists, says he has no doubt Trump is gearing up for another presidential…