Mitch McConnell, who has been the Senate leader for the longest amount of time, is stepping down from his leadership position in the upcoming Congress. He intends to assert his influence in ways that may lead to disagreements with President-elect Donald J. Trump. McConnell is now free from the responsibilities of leadership and is prepared to choose his battles independently.
After stepping down from his position as Senate leader, Mitch McConnell is preparing to use his power in new ways that may lead to disagreements with President-elect Donald J. Trump. McConnell, who has held the position for a long time, is now free from the constraints of leadership and ready to choose his battles independently.
Senator Mitch McConnell, a member of the Republican party from Kentucky and the Senate leader for the longest tenure, 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
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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 advance his policies.
After a long tenure as Senate leader, Mr. McConnell has decided to step down from his position in January. It seems that this time he is preparing to take a different approach, concentrating on matters that may lead to disagreements with Mr. Trump regarding policies and personnel at the beginning of his second term.
Lately, Mr. McConnell, aged 82, has expressed to his colleagues that stepping down from his leadership position has made him feel free, as seen during a late-night Senate floor voting session last week.
He has shown doubt about some of the president-elect’s controversial choices for his team, choosing not to comment on their selections and stating last week that the decision for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general was the right one. 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 strongly disagrees with Mr. Trump on.
Mr. McConnell, who will be in office until 2027 and hasn’t confirmed if he will run for another term, intends to prioritize promoting his proactive foreign policy agenda over the next two years. This agenda contrasts with the incoming president’s "America First" strategy. Additionally, McConnell aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy while facing pressure from President Trump, who will have control over the executive and legislative branches starting in January.
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