Former Nixon aide Jeffrey Lord noted to Newsmax TV on Tuesday that the "undercurrent" in the relationship between President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell most likely is the Kentucky Republican's wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
"He doesn't hesitate to say what's on his mind, which is a good thing," Lord told "Newsmax Now" host Bill Tucker of their news conference on Monday at the White House. "He doesn't do the whole political schmoozing.
"When he's pleased, he'll say so. When he's displeased, he will say so.
"And one of the other undercurrents here, one of the things that we should always be aware of, the secretary of transportation is named Elaine Chao.
"She also doubles in life as Mrs. Mitch McConnell, so I suspect that there is a backchannel there."
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But another factor in affecting the relationship is former White House strategist Steve Bannon, who is waging war against McConnell and other GOP establishment leaders.
"Notice the president didn't rebuke him yesterday," Lord told Tucker, referring to Bannon's call during his speech Saturday at the Values Voters Summit in Washington.
"That was a very interesting way of leaving the pressure on Sen. McConnell by letting Mr. Bannon go out there and do his thing.
"That's a good pressure point to have."
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