After stepping down from his position as Senate leader, McConnell is no longer constrained by leadership responsibilities and is now preparing to choose his own battles. He intends to wield his influence in a manner that might lead to disagreements with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
After stepping down from his position as the longest-serving Senate leader, McConnell is prepared to choose his own battles and use his influence in ways that may clash with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who 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
Covering news from the legislative
During President Donald J. Trump’s previous term in the White House, Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, who was the majority leader at the time, played a key role in supporting and advancing his agenda.
After serving as Senate leader for a long time, Mr. McConnell will be resigning from that position in January. Instead of aligning with Mr. Trump on policy and personnel in his second term, McConnell seems to be taking a different approach by concentrating on issues that may lead to disagreements with the president.
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 shown doubt about certain controversial choices for the president-elect’s administration, remaining silent on their appointments and agreeing with the decision to withdraw Matt Gaetz from consideration as attorney general. McConnell has indicated that he will focus on two issues during his remaining time in the Senate that he strongly disagrees with Trump on, as he seeks to solidify his legacy.
Senator McConnell, whose term ends in 2027 and has not confirmed if he will run again, has expressed his intention to prioritize his active foreign policy stance over the next two years. This approach contrasts with the incoming president’s "America First" strategy. Additionally, McConnell aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy in the face of the president-elect’s clear intention to exert control over the chamber with his upcoming governing power.
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