After serving as Senate leader for a long time, McConnell is stepping down from his position in the upcoming Congress. He now plans to use his power in ways that may clash with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
After being freed from his leadership position, McConnell is prepared to choose his battles independently. As the Senate’s longest-serving leader, he is stepping down from his role in the upcoming Congress and intends to exert his influence in a manner that may lead to disagreements with President-elect 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. Photo credit goes to Kent Nishimura for The New York Times.
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Written by Catie Edmondson
Reporting from the government building.
During President Donald J. Trump’s tenure 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 and initiatives.
After serving as Senate leader for a long time, Mr. McConnell will be stepping down from his position in January. It seems that he is now planning to shift his focus to address issues that may lead to disagreements with Mr. Trump regarding policies and personnel as he begins his second term.
Lately, Senator McConnell, who is 82 years old, has expressed to his colleagues that stepping down from his leadership position has made him feel free and relieved. This was mentioned 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 selections and stating last week that it was right for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general. Mr. McConnell has also indicated that as he works to solidify his legacy in the Senate, he intends to focus on two issues that he disagrees with Mr. Trump on.
Mitch McConnell’s term as Senate Majority Leader ends in 2027 and it is unknown if he will run for another term. He has expressed his intention to prioritize his interventionist foreign policy stance over the next two years, which contradicts the "America First" approach of the incoming president. McConnell also aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy as President Trump has indicated his desire to exert control over the chamber with his upcoming trifecta of power.
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