After stepping down from his leadership position, McConnell is prepared to choose his battles independently. As the Senate’s longest-serving leader, he intends to use his power in a manner that may lead to conflicts with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
After stepping down from his long-held position as Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his battles independently. He intends to wield his power in a manner that may lead to disagreements 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 by Kent Nishimura for The New York Times.
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Written by Catie Edmondson
Delivering news from the legislative
During President Donald J. Trump’s previous term, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who was the majority leader at the time, played a significant part in supporting Trump and helping to implement his policies.
After serving as Senate leader for a long time, Mr. McConnell will be stepping down from his position in January. It seems that this time he is planning to focus on different issues that may lead to disagreements with Mr. Trump on policy and personnel at the start of his second term.
Recently, 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 was especially evident 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 fitting for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general. Mr. McConnell has indicated that he will focus on two issues that he strongly disagrees with Mr. Trump on as he works to solidify his legacy in the Senate.
Senator McConnell’s term will end in 2027, and it is unclear if he will run for another term. He intends to prioritize his interventionist foreign policy over the next two years, which contrasts with the incoming president’s "America First" ideology. McConnell also aims to protect the Senate’s independence, especially as President Trump, with control over all branches of government, has indicated his intention to exert influence over the Senate.
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