McConnell scolds Trump for lashing out at federal judge on Twitter who temporarily blocked travel ban: 'We all get disappointed from time to time'  

  • Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell spoke with CNN's Jake Tapper this morning on State of the Union 
  • McConnell said it was 'best not to single out judges for criticism' after Donald Trump went on a Twitter tirade yesterday after a judge blocked his travel ban 
  • The GOP Senate leader said he was all for 'proper vetting,' but was against restrictions to travel or any kind of 'religious test' 

By Nikki Schwab, U.s. Political Reporter For Dailymail.com

Published: 11:33 EST, 5 February 2017 | Updated: 12:14 EST, 5 February 2017

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell broke ranks with President Donald Trump on Sunday, criticizing his fellow Republican for lashing out at a federal judge on Twitter. 

'I think it is best not to single out judges for criticism,' McConnell told CNN's Jake Tapper on State of the Union. 'We all get disappointed from time to time at the outcome in courts on things that we care about. But I think it is best to avoid criticizing judges individually.' 

The president took to Twitter yesterday and knocked Judge James Robart, who temporarily blocked Trump's seven country travel ban. 

Sen. Mitch McConnell wagged his finger at President Donald Trump, who attacked the federal judge who temporarily blocked the president's travel ban 

CNN's Jake Tapper (left) asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (right) if he planned to pass legislation that would echo Trump's travel ban, which would make it more 'durable' 

Robart, who was appointed to the bench by George W. Bush in 2004, was attacked by Trump in five different tweets throughout the day yesterday.  

'The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!' Trump said at one point. 

McConnell answered in the affirmative when Tapper asked if he was concerned about the comments the president was making at the judiciary. 

Tapper also pointed out that Trump's executive order would be made more 'durable' if it was a bill passed through Congress, getting the stamp of approval from the legislative branch. 

When the CNN newsman asked the senator if he planned to do that, McConnell gave a lukewarm response. 

'Well, I don't think that's necessary,' the majority leader said.  'I mean the courts are going to decide whether the executive order the president issued is valid or not. And we all follow court orders.' 

Then McConnell pushed back on the travel ban even more.   

'Let me just say, I think proper vetting is important to the American people but there is  fine line here between proper vetting and interfering with the kind of travel or suggesting some kind of religious test,' he said. 'And we need to avoid doing that kind of thing.' 

Asked if he thought the travel ban was too broad, McConnell said he believed the administration was in the process of modifying it already. 

'The courts are going to determine whether the initial executive order, as it was issued, is valid,' McConnell pointed out. 

The Republican leader said he didn't have advice for what he thought the courts should do. 

'We all want to try to keep terrorists out of the United States,' he said. 'But we can't shut down travel.' 

'We certainly don't want Muslim allies who have fought with us in countries overseas to not be able to travel to the United States,' McConnell continued. 

'We need to be careful about this,' he said. 

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