Lincoln Project taunts Trump, saying he lost to ‘swamp,’ McConnell

The Lincoln Project is taunting former President Trump in a new attack ad, saying the former president got “played” by the Republican establishment in Washington, D.C. 

“The swamp won, Donald,” a narrator says as the ad opens with clips of snapping turtles, alligators and other swamp-dwelling animals pouncing on unsuspecting prey. 

“Mitch McConnell’s Washington consultants are making big money using your name,” it continues. “We don’t know if Mitch gets a cut. But what do you think, Donald?” 

The video then shows a clip of McConnell (R-Ky.), the Senate minority leader, pledging support for Trump at last year’s Republican National Convention and calling the former president “my friend Donald Trump.” 

“You’re getting played,” the ad says. “He’s picking candidates loyal to him. They brought you a little bowl to hold in your little hands, and you fell for it.” 

The “little bowl” dig is a reference to the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s (NRSC) inaugural Champion for Freedom Award. The NRSC’s chair, Sen. Rick Scott, (R-Fla.) traveled to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida earlier this year to deliver the award to Trump. 

The two men posed for a picture after Trump was given the award, showing the former president beaming with excitement. 

“President Trump fought for American workers, secured the border and protected our constitutional rights,” Scott said. “We are grateful for his service to our country and are honored to present him with the NRSC’s first Champion for Freedom Award.”

The ⁦@NRSC⁩ gave an award to Donald trump. Over the weekend, trump called ⁦@LeaderMcConnell⁩ — senate gop leader — a dumb son of a bitch. Below is the photo of ⁦@SenRickScott⁩ giving trump the award, included in an email the nrsc sent out this morning. pic.twitter.com/VCr3a4gy0C

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) April 12, 2021

The Lincoln Project in its new ad tells Trump Republicans are “laughing at you, all the way to the bank.” 

“Maybe you shouldn’t run again,” the ad concludes. “Maybe the power Mitch McConnell has over the GOP is just too strong. Maybe what McConnell and the rest of Washington is saying is true: that Trump is done.” 

Since leaving office, Trump has denounced McConnell and the Senate GOP for not supporting him and his unproven claims of a rigged election in 2020. He has called the Kentucky Republican a “weak” leader and a political hack. 

McConnell, following the deadly Jan. 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol by Trump’s supporters, blamed Trump for the rioting and suggested he may still held criminally liable for offenses committed while in office. 

Trump has urged his supporters, a majority of whom polling shows still support him over the Republican establishment, should give money to him and Republican primary candidates he supports rather than those backed by McConnell. 

In March, Trump and the Republican National Committee also clashed over whether the GOP campaign arm has the legal right to use Trump’s name in its fundraising efforts.