After stepping down as the longest-serving Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his battles and exert his influence in a manner that may conflict with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
After stepping down from his position as the longest-serving Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his battles and plan to utilize his power in a manner that may clash with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who has been the Senate leader for the longest period of time, will be resigning from his position in January. Photo credit goes to Kent Nishimura of The New York Times.
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Written by Catie Edmondson
Providing updates from the government
During President Donald J. Trump’s previous term in office, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who was the majority leader at the time, played a significant role in supporting Trump and helping to pass his policies.
However, Mr. McConnell, who has held the position of Senate leader for the longest period of time, will be stepping down from that role in January. This time, it seems he is preparing to take a different approach by prioritizing issues that may lead to disagreements with Mr. Trump regarding policies and personnel at the beginning of his second term.
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 free and relieved. This sentiment was also shared during a late-night voting session on the Senate floor last week.
He has expressed doubt about some of the president-elect’s controversial choices for his administration, choosing not to comment on their selections and stating that the decision for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general was the right one. Additionally, Mr. McConnell has indicated that he will focus on two key issues during his remaining time in the Senate, which happen to be topics where he disagrees with Mr. Trump.
Mitch McConnell, who will be in office until 2027 and has not confirmed if he will run for another term, has stated that he will prioritize promoting his proactive foreign policy stance over the next two years. This approach differs from the incoming president’s "America First" strategy. Additionally, McConnell aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy in the face of President Trump’s intention to exert his influence over the chamber with his majority in January.
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