WASHINGTON Donald Trump on Monday threw a life raft to the most unpopular Republican in Congress, publicly expressing his support for Mitch McConnell and pledging to ask his anti-establishment friends to leave the Senate leader and his friends alone.

Until Monday, the Senate Majority Leader’s reputation as a canny tactician had taken a beating this year. Major legislation stalled. Critics from his own party called for his ouster. His approval rating was far below that of other congressional leaders from either party.

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“We are probably now, at least as far as I’m concerned, closer than ever before,” Trump said, declaring a friendship with McConnell that predates either man’s life in politics. “The relationship is very good.”

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“Steve is doing what Steve thinks is the right thing,” Trump said before adding, “Some of the people that he may be looking at, I’m going to see if we talk him out of that, because frankly, they’re great people.”