After stepping down as Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his battles and plans to assert his influence in ways that may clash with President-elect Trump.
After stepping down as Senate leader, McConnell is prepared to choose his battles independently and potentially clash with President-elect 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.
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Authored by Catie Edmondson
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During President Donald J. Trump’s time in office, Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, who was the majority leader at the time, played a significant role in supporting and advancing his agenda.
However, Mr. McConnell, who has been the Senate leader for the longest time, will be resigning from his post in January. This time, it seems like he is preparing to take a different approach by prioritizing issues that may lead to disagreements with Mr. Trump on policies and personnel at the beginning of his second term.
Recently, Mr. McConnell, who is 82 years old, has expressed to his colleagues that he feels free and relieved after announcing his departure from leadership, even mentioning this during a late-night voting session on the Senate floor last week.
He has expressed doubt about some of the controversial choices made by the president-elect for his administration, choosing not to comment on their selections. He also stated that the decision for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general was the right one. Mr. McConnell has hinted that he will focus on two issues in his remaining time in the Senate that he strongly disagrees with Mr. Trump on, as he works to solidify his legacy.
Mr. McConnell, who will serve until 2027 and has not confirmed if he will run again, intends to prioritize his interventionist foreign policy in the coming years. This contrasts with the president-elect’s "America First" strategy. Additionally, McConnell aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy as President Trump has indicated he plans to exert control over the chamber with his upcoming governing power.
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