After stepping down from his position as Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his own battles and wield his influence in ways that may conflict with President-elect Trump. McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader, is preparing to take on new challenges in the upcoming Congress.
After serving as Senate leader for a long time, McConnell is stepping down and preparing to use his power in ways that may clash with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who has held the position of Senate leader for the longest period of time, will be resigning from his position in January. This decision was reported by Kent Nishimura for The New York Times.
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Written by Catie Edmondson
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During President Donald J. Trump’s time in the White House, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who served as the majority leader at the time, played a significant role in supporting and advancing his policies.
After holding the position of Senate leader for a long time, Mr. McConnell will be resigning from that role in January. It seems that this time he is planning to take a different approach, concentrating on topics that may lead to disagreements with Mr. Trump regarding policies and staff at the start of his second term.
Recently, Mr. McConnell, who is 82 years old, has been expressing to his colleagues that stepping down from his leadership position has made him feel free. This was evident during a late-night voting session on the Senate floor last week.
He has shown doubt about some of the president-elect’s controversial choices for his administration, choosing not to comment on their selection and stating that it was right for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general. Mr. McConnell has hinted that as he works to establish his legacy in the Senate before he leaves, he will focus on two issues that he disagrees with Mr. Trump on.
Senator McConnell’s term is set to end in 2027, and it is unclear whether he will run for another term. He has expressed his intention to prioritize his interventionist foreign policy agenda over the next two years, which contrasts with the president-elect’s "America First" approach. Additionally, McConnell aims to protect the Senate’s independence from President Trump’s influence, as Trump will have control over the executive and legislative branches in January.
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