After stepping down as Senate leader, McConnell plans to use his power to choose his own battles, potentially conflicting 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 Trump. McConnell, who has served the longest in this role, is ready to assert his influence in new ways.
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 role in January.
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Written by Catie Edmondson
Reporting live from the Capitol building
During President Donald J. Trump’s previous tenure in the White House, 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 Senate leader for the longest time, Mr. McConnell is set to step down from his post in January. This time, he seems to be preparing to take a different approach by concentrating on topics that may lead to disagreements with Mr. Trump regarding policies and personnel at the beginning of his second term.
Recently, Mr. McConnell, aged 82, has expressed to his colleagues that stepping down from his leadership position has made him feel free and unburdened. This feeling was evident during a late-night voting session on the Senate floor last week.
Expressing doubt about some of the president-elect’s controversial choices for his administration, he has chosen not to comment on their selection. He recently stated that the decision for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general was the right one. Additionally, he has indicated that as he works to solidify his legacy in the Senate, he will focus on two issues that he strongly disagrees with Mr. Trump on.
Senator McConnell, who is currently serving until 2027 and has not confirmed if he will run again, intends to prioritize his interventionist foreign policy approach in the next two years. This stance contrasts with President-elect’s "America First" strategy. Additionally, McConnell aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy as President Trump, who will have control over all branches of government in January, has indicated his intentions to exert influence over the Senate.
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