After stepping down from his role as Senate leader, Mitch McConnell is now free to choose which battles he wants to fight. As the longest-serving Senate leader, he plans to use his influence in a manner that may clash 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 use his power 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 in the upcoming Congress.
Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who has served as 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 office, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who was the majority leader at the time, played a significant part in supporting and advancing his policies.
After serving as the Senate leader for a long time, Mr. McConnell will be stepping down from his position in January. This time, it seems like he is preparing to take a different approach by focusing on issues that may lead to disagreements with Mr. Trump regarding policies and personnel at the beginning of his second term.
Lately, Mr. McConnell, 82, has been expressing to his colleagues that stepping down from his leadership position has made him feel free and relieved. This was evident during a late-night session of votes on the Senate floor last week.
He has shown 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 for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general was fitting. Mr. McConnell has also indicated that as he works to solidify his legacy in the Senate, he intends to focus on two key issues that he disagrees with Mr. Trump on.
Mr. McConnell’s term is set to end in 2027, and it is unclear if he will run for another term. He intends to prioritize his interventionist foreign policy over the next two years, which contrasts with the president-elect’s "America First" stance. Additionally, McConnell aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy, especially as President Trump will have control over all branches of government in January and is determined to exert his influence over the Senate.
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