Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMcConnell blocks simple majority votes on Dems’ voting rights bills Republicans threaten floor takeover if Democrats weaken filibuster  Biden to ‘forcefully advocate’ for voting rights in Tuesday speech MORE (R-Ky.) on Tuesday expressed his support for GOP Sen. Mike RoundsMike RoundsRounds doesn’t back down from Trump, who ‘lost the 2020 election’ Romney defends Rounds following Trump rebuke Trump rips GOP senator who called 2020 election ‘fair’ MORE (S.D.), who earlier this week was attacked by former President TrumpDonald TrumpGeorgia prosecutor says decision on Trump election interference case likely coming soon Overnight Defense & National Security — US, Russia have face-to-face sit down Hillicon Valley — Dems press privacy groups over kids’ safety MORE after saying the 2020 presidential election was fair.

“I think Sen. Rounds told the truth about what happened in the 2020 election,” McConnell told CNN. “And I agree with him.”

While appearing on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, Rounds shot down Trump’s claims that the presidential election was affected by voter fraud, saying President BidenJoe BidenBiden coronavirus vaccine-or-test mandate goes into effect On the Money — Democrats grow less confident in Manchin Fed Vice Chair Clarida to resign over pandemic stock trades MORE‘s victory was legitimate.

“While there were some irregularities, there were none of the irregularities which would have risen to the point where they would have changed the vote outcome in a single state,” said Rounds. “We simply did not win the election as Republicans for the presidency.”

Shortly after Rounds made his remarks, Trump released a statement attacking the South Dakota senator and repeating his baseless claims that the election was fraudulent. Trump called Rounds “a weak and ineffective leader,” adding, “I hereby firmly pledge that he will never receive my Endorsement again!”

Rounds responded to Trump on Monday, saying he was “disappointed but not surprised” by the former president’s reaction.

“As a Republican Party, our focus should be on what lies ahead, not what’s in the past. Elections are about growing support for your party, not further dividing it,” he said.

Other Republicans have come to Rounds’s defense, including Utah Sen. Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyRomney defends Rounds following Trump rebuke Romney on Capitol attack anniversary: ‘Ignore the lessons of January 6 at our own peril’ Has Trump become too tame for the MAGAverse? MORE, who said Rounds spoke the “truth knowing that our Republic depends upon it.” Other Republican lawmakers similarly echoed what Rounds said and argued that it was time for the party to move on.

“I don’t think re-litigating or rehashing the past is a winning strategy,” fellow South Dakota Sen. John ThuneJohn Randolph ThuneRepublicans threaten floor takeover if Democrats weaken filibuster  McConnell’s office knocks Democrats over ‘the left’s Big Lie’ The Hill’s Morning Report – Voting rights takes center stage for Democrats MORE (R) said. “If we want to be a majority in 2023, we’ve got to get out and articulate what we’re going to do with respect to the future the American people are going to live and the things they’re going to care about when it comes to economic issues, national security issues.”