After being freed from his leadership role, McConnell is preparing to choose his own battles. The Senate’s longest-serving leader is stepping down in the upcoming Congress and is looking to exert his influence in ways that may clash with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
After stepping down as the longest-serving Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his battles and use his power in ways that may not align with President-elect Trump.
Mitch McConnell, a Republican Senator from Kentucky who has served as Senate leader for the longest time, will be resigning from his position in January.
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Written by Catie Edmondson
Writing from the government building
When President Donald J. Trump was previously in the White House, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who held the position of majority leader at the time, played a significant role in supporting and advancing his policies.
After serving as Senate leader for a long time, Mr. McConnell will be resigning from the position in January. This time, he seems to be preparing to shift his focus to topics 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. This sentiment was particularly 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 team, staying quiet on their appointments and recently stating that it was right for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general. Mr. McConnell has indicated that as he works to solidify his legacy in the Senate, he intends to focus on two issues that he strongly disagrees with Mr. Trump on.
The current term of Mr. McConnell will end in 2027, and it is uncertain if he will seek another term. He has expressed his intention to prioritize promoting his interventionist foreign policy beliefs over the next two years, which contradicts the incoming president’s "America First" stance. Additionally, he aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy as Mr. Trump, who will have control over the government, has indicated his intention to exert influence over the chamber.
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