After stepping down from his role as Senate leader, Mitch McConnell is planning to assert his influence in new ways that may lead to disagreements with President-elect Donald J. Trump. McConnell is now free from the responsibilities of leadership and is preparing to choose his own battles.
After stepping down from his role as Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his own battles and use his influence in ways that may clash with President-elect Trump.
Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, who is a member of the Republican party and 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
Writing from the seat of government
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 key role in supporting him and helping to advance his plans.
Mr. McConnell, who has been the Senate leader for the longest period of time, will be resigning from his position in January. This time, it seems like he is preparing to take a different approach by concentrating on topics that may lead to disagreements with Mr. Trump regarding policies and personnel as his second term begins.
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 was evident during a late-night voting session on the Senate floor last week.
He has expressed doubt about some of the president-elect’s controversial choices for his administration, choosing not to comment on their appointments and stating that the decision to withdraw former Representative Matt Gaetz from consideration as attorney general was justified. Mr. McConnell has indicated that as he works to solidify his legacy during his remaining time in the Senate, he will prioritize two issues that happen to be areas where he strongly disagrees with Mr. Trump.
Mr. McConnell, whose term will end in 2027 and has not confirmed if he will run again, intends to prioritize advancing his interventionist foreign policy agenda over the next two years. This contrasts with the incoming president’s "America First" stance. He also aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy while facing pressure from the current president to align with his agenda, as he will have control over all branches of government in January.
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