Top senator Mitch McConnell endorses Trump for president despite acrimony

Leading Republican, who blamed Trump for January 6, says he will support likely nominee despite ex-president's personal taunts

Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the US Senate, on Wednesday endorsed Donald Trump for president despite years of acrimony between the pair including Trump calling McConnell a piece of shit" and using racist invective in attacks against his wife.

It is abundantly clear that former President Trump has earned the requisite support of Republican voters to be our nominee for President of the United States," McConnell, 82, said in a statement to the Washington Post, the morning after Trump dominated the Super Tuesday primaries and as Trump's last rival, Nikki Haley, dropped out.