Mitch McConnell, who has been leading the Senate for the longest period, is stepping down from his position in the upcoming Congress. He is now looking to use his power in ways that may lead to disagreements with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
After stepping down from his position as Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his own battles and plans to exert his influence in ways that may clash with President-elect Donald J. Trump. McConnell, who has served the longest in this role, is ready to take on new challenges and assert his own agenda.
Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who has been the Senate leader for the longest amount of time, will be resigning from his position in January.
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Written by Catie Edmondson
Reporting live from the government building
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 and advancing Trump’s agenda.
After serving as Senate leader for the longest period of time, Mr. McConnell has decided to step down from the position in January. Instead of aligning himself with Mr. Trump, he seems to be shifting his focus towards issues that may cause disagreements on policy and personnel as Trump begins his second term.
Lately, Senator 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 sentiment was shared 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, remaining silent on their appointments. He also mentioned that the decision for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general was the right one. Mr. McConnell has hinted that he will focus on two issues during his remaining time in the Senate that he disagrees with Mr. Trump on, as he works to solidify his legacy.
Mr. McConnell, who will be in office until 2027 and has not confirmed if he will run again, intends to prioritize his interventionist foreign policy agenda over the next two years. This approach contrasts with the incoming president’s "America First" stance. Additionally, McConnell aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy from President Trump’s strong influence, as Trump will have control over all branches of government starting in January.
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