After stepping down from his role as Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his own battles and use his power in ways that may conflict with President-elect Donald J. Trump. As the longest-serving Senate leader, McConnell is ready to assert his influence in new ways.
After stepping down from his leadership position, McConnell is now free to choose his own battles. As the Senate’s longest-serving leader, he is preparing to use his power in ways that may clash with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who has held the position of Senate leader for the longest period of time, will be resigning from his position in January. Photo credit goes to Kent Nishimura for The New York Times.
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Written by Catie Edmondson
Reporting live from the government building
During President Donald J. Trump’s time in office, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who was the majority leader at the time, played a significant role in supporting and advancing his policies and goals.
After serving as Senate leader for a long time, Mr. McConnell has decided to step down from his position in January. Instead of aligning with Mr. Trump on policy and personnel, he seems to be preparing to take a different approach and focus on issues that may lead to disagreements with the president during 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 and unburdened. This feeling was also evident during a late-night voting session in the Senate last week.
He has expressed doubt about certain controversial choices made by the president-elect for his administration, choosing not to comment 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. Additionally, Mr. McConnell has hinted that he will focus on two key issues during his remaining time in the Senate, despite his strong disagreements with Mr. Trump on these topics.
Senator McConnell’s term is set to end in 2027, and it is unclear whether he will seek re-election. He has expressed his intention to prioritize his interventionist foreign policy approach over the next two years, which contrasts with the incoming president’s "America First" stance. Additionally, McConnell aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy from the influence of President Trump, who will have control over all branches of government starting in January.
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