After stepping down as Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his own battles and plans to wield his power in ways that may clash with President-elect Trump. McConnell, who has served the longest in this position, is ready to assert his influence in new ways.
After being freed from his role as Senate leader, McConnell is preparing to choose his own battles in the upcoming Congress. He intends to use his power in ways that may clash with the incoming President, Donald J. Trump.
Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who has served as Senate leader for the longest period of time, will be resigning from his position in January.
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Written by Catie Edmondson
Covering news from the government
During President Donald J. Trump’s previous term in office, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky and the majority leader at the time, played a significant role in supporting and advancing Trump’s policies and plans.
After serving as Senate leader for a long time, Mr. McConnell is set to step down from his position in January. Instead of aligning with Mr. Trump on policy and personnel at the beginning of his second term, McConnell seems to be shifting gears and focusing on issues that may create conflict with the president.
Lately, Mr. McConnell, who is 82 years old, has been expressing to his colleagues that stepping down from his leadership position has made him feel "liberated." He shared these sentiments during a late-night voting session on the Senate floor last week.
He has shown doubts about some of the president-elect’s controversial choices for his administration, choosing not to comment on their selection. He also mentioned that it was right for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general. Additionally, Mr. McConnell has indicated that he intends to focus on two issues during his remaining time in the Senate that he strongly disagrees with Mr. Trump on, as he works to solidify his legacy.
Mitch McConnell’s term as a senator ends in 2027, and it is not yet known if he will run for re-election. McConnell has stated that he will prioritize advancing his interventionist foreign policy stance over the next two years, despite it conflicting with President-elect’s Trump’s "America First" approach. He also aims to protect the Senate’s institutional autonomy, especially with Trump’s intentions to assert his authority over the chamber with his upcoming governing trifecta in January.
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