Mitch McConnell, who has been the Senate leader for the longest time, is stepping down from his position in the upcoming Congress. He is now looking to assert his influence in ways that may lead to conflicts with President-elect Donald J. Trump. McConnell feels free from the constraints of leadership and is prepared to choose his battles carefully.
After stepping down from his position as Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his own battles and use his influence in ways that may lead to disagreements with President-elect Donald J. Trump. McConnell, who has served the Senate for the longest period, is preparing to leverage his power in new ways.
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. Photo credit goes to Kent Nishimura for The New York Times.
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Written by Catie Edmondson
Providing coverage from the legislative
When President Donald J. Trump was last in the White House, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who was the majority leader at the time, played a significant role in supporting him and helping to pass his policies.
Mr. McConnell, who has been the Senate leader for the longest period of time, will be resigning from his position in January. Instead of aligning himself with Mr. Trump on policy and personnel as he did before, this time he seems to be preparing to focus on issues that may create disagreements with the President at the beginning of his second term.
Lately, Mr. McConnell, who is 82 years old, has shared with his colleagues that stepping down from his leadership position has made him feel free. This was expressed even during a late-night voting session on the Senate floor last week.
Expressing doubts about certain controversial selections made by the president-elect for his administration, he has chosen not to comment on those choices. He recently mentioned that it was the right decision for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general. Additionally, he has hinted that he will focus on two key issues during his remaining time in the Senate, which happen to be areas where he does not see eye-to-eye with Mr. Trump.
Senator McConnell’s term is set to end in 2027, but it is unclear if 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 incoming president’s "America First" strategy. Additionally, McConnell aims to uphold the Senate’s autonomy at a time when President Trump, who will have control over all branches of government in January, has indicated his desire to exert influence over the Senate.
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