Rep. Kinzinger Slams Kevin McCarthy as ‘Failed Leader’ Who ‘Resurrected’ Trump

Rep. Adam Kinzinger condemned Kevin McCarthy as a “failed leader” who “resurrected Donald Trump” in an interview with MSNBC’s Alex Wagner.

“Kevin McCarthy bares 90% of the weight, I think, for Donald Trump’s return,” Kinzinger said about the House Minority Leader on Tuesday’s “Alex Wagner Tonight” show premiere. “He is a failed leader who has absolutely nothing more than his own power in his mind, and he resurrected Donald Trump.”

Kinzinger, who Wagner recalled was one of McCarthy’s “protégé’s,” noted that McCarthy is a “good politician” but now views him as “too cowardice” to stand up against the former president.

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“I knew he was a very good politician and he is, he goes with the wind, he goes where it’s gonna take him to higher power, he knows everybody’s name, he knows something about you,” Kinzinger said, noting that their relationship began before Trump entered the political arena.

When he did, though, the tides changed as Kinzinger observed McCarthy work on Trump’s agenda.

“It’s not just about differences of opinion — we need differences of opinion in this country — but it’s about swallowing authoritarian moves, destroying the constitution and changing how we respect government,” the congressman said, “and I saw him working on behalf of Trump for that, and not lead.”

While Kinzinger noted that he and Liz Cheney would continue speaking out against Trump, he said that “Kevin McCarthy is the one that people would listen to.”

“He’s a leader and he’s too cowardice to do it, and people need to recognize that” he continued.

“If he’s ever around a mirror, I can’t imagine that’s easy to look unless he’s just that cold and calculated,” the Illinois congressman concluded.

Wagner made her debut in MSNBC’s 9 p.m. slot Tuesday in “Alex Wagner Tonight,” which will now premiere every night, Tuesday through Friday, as Rachel Maddow shifts to just once a week, on Mondays.