After stepping down from his position as Senate leader, McConnell is no longer bound by traditional leadership responsibilities and is now free to choose his own battles. He intends to utilize his power in ways that may lead to disagreements with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
After stepping down from his role as Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his battles and use his influence in ways that may clash with President-elect Donald J. Trump. McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader, is ready to take on new challenges in the next Congress.
Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky and the Senate leader for the longest period of time, will be resigning from his position in January. (Photo credit: Kent Nishimura for The New York Times)
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Written by Catie Edmondson
Covering news from the government
During President Donald J. Trump’s previous term in the White House, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who served as majority leader at the time, played a significant role in supporting and advancing his policies.
After serving as Senate leader for the longest period of time, Mr. McConnell has decided to step down from his position in January. It seems that this time he is planning to shift his attention towards matters that might lead to disagreements with Mr. Trump regarding policies and personnel as he begins his second term.
Recently, Mr. McConnell, who is 82 years old, has expressed to his colleagues during a late-night Senate floor voting session and in other instances that stepping down from his leadership position has made him feel free and unburdened.
He has shown doubt about some of the president-elect’s controversial choices for his administration, not commenting on their selections and stating last week that it was right for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general. Mr. McConnell has hinted that as he works to establish his legacy during his remaining time in the Senate, he will focus on two issues that he strongly disagrees with Mr. Trump on.
Mr. McConnell is currently serving a term that will end in 2027, and it is uncertain whether he will run for re-election. He has expressed his intention to prioritize advancing his interventionist foreign policy approach over the next two years, which contrasts with the incoming president’s "America First" strategy. Additionally, McConnell aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy in the face of President Trump’s intentions to assert control over the chamber with his upcoming governing power.
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