The BIGGEST Loser!

Trump infuriated after backing Alabama loser

By Jim Acosta, Jeff Zeleny, Elizabeth Landers, Kaitlan Collins and Kevin Liptak

Returning from a high-dollar fundraiser in Manhattan on Tuesday evening, an infuriated President Donald Trump watched aboard Air Force One as Fox News called the Alabama Senate primary for Roy Moore against Trump's favored candidate, Luther Strange.

What ensued was a barrage of angry venting at his political team and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had consolidated establishment GOP support behind Strange.

Trump, officials and informal advisers say, felt misled by McConnell and his political team, who encouraged him to endorse and campaign for Strange.

Even before Strange's loss on Tuesday, Trump expressed misgivings about getting behind the candidate, who he deemed too "low energy." Trump fretted the endorsement made him appear weak, cowed by an establishment that he'd openly rebuffed during his own campaign.

His concerns were only exacerbated by the endorsement of Moore by his former chief strategist Steve Bannon, who made a highly visible push for Moore as the anti-GOP-establishment candidate.

But Trump felt beholden to Strange, who has supported his agenda during his few months in the Senate. His decision, according to a person familiar, was not made entirely at McConnell's request.

Trump "knew it was a mistake but one he was willing to make because Luther was loyal," said a senior White House official.

Following Strange's loss, Trump felt he was proven right and his team had largely failed him.

He went to bed "embarrassed and pissed" following the election loss, according to a person familiar with his mindset. Trump, multiple sources said, is furious with McConnell, and feels outdone by his former aide Bannon.

It is only the latest in growing list of reasons Trump is furious at McConnell.

Inside the White House, fingers are being pointed at Ward Baker, a McConnell strategist, and Nick Ayers, the vice president's chief of staff, both of whom were involved in pushing Trump to back Strange, according to sources.

"Losing is bad for his brand," another GOP adviser to the White House said of Trump.

One person Trump has not appeared to blame: himself.

Late Tuesday, Trump sought to erase his backing of Strange, deleting a series of tweets encouraging Alabamans to vote for the Republican senator.

He replaced them with congratulations to Roy Moore: "Spoke to Roy Moore of Alabama last night for the first time. Sounds like a really great guy who ran a fantastic race. He will help to #MAGA!" Trump wrote.

Strange, he wrote, "started way back & ran a good race."