Trump calls McConnell "loser for our nation" after he condemns Fuentes dinner

What he's saying: "Mitch is a loser for our nation and for the Republican Party who would not have been re-elected in Kentucky without my endorsement, which he begged me for because he was going down," Trump told Fox News.

• "His well-financed opponent had $93 million ready to spend when I drove him from two points down to 21 points up in a matter of days."
• Trump again claimed that he had "never heard of Nick Fuentes" before the dinner.
• "I had no idea what his views were, and they weren’t expressed at the table in our very quick dinner, or it wouldn't have been accepted."
• "Nobody has to prove or be defensive of me and Israel," he added. "They have acknowledged that I’m the best friend and president to Israel."

Yes, but: Axios' Jonathan Swan reports that Trump "seemed very taken" and impressed with Fuentes at the dinner, which occurred one week after he declared his 2024 candidacy.

• Fuentes has espoused several racist conspiracy theories and is a Holocaust denier.
• Ye, whom Trump says brought Fuentes to the dinner unbidden, has also come under fire in recent weeks for antisemitic remarks.

The big picture: McConnell is one of several Republicans to take a clear stance against the dinner. Former Vice President Mike Pence also criticized Trump on Monday and said he should apologize, though he argued the former president isn't antisemitic.

• House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has said Fuentes has no place in the GOP but falsely claimed that Trump condemned Fuentes after they met at Mar-a-Lago.