After being freed from his leadership role, McConnell is preparing to choose his own battles. He will no longer be the Senate leader in the next Congress and intends to exert his influence in ways that may lead to disagreements with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
After serving as Senate leader for the longest time, McConnell is stepping down from his position in the upcoming Congress. He intends to use his influence in ways that may lead to conflicts with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who has held the position of Senate leader for the longest time, will be resigning from his role in January.
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Written by Catie Edmondson
Providing updates from the seat
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 Trump’s goals and policies.
After serving as Senate leader for a long time, Mr. McConnell will be giving up that position in January. This time, it seems like he is planning to shift his focus towards issues that may cause disagreements with Mr. Trump regarding policy and personnel at the beginning of his second term.
Recently, Mitch 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 relieved. This sentiment was shared during a late-night voting session in the Senate last week.
He has shown doubt about some of the president-elect’s controversial choices for his administration, choosing not to comment on their selections. He recently mentioned that it was right for former Representative Matt Gaetz to withdraw from consideration as attorney general. Mr. McConnell has also indicated that he will focus on two issues during his remaining time in the Senate that he strongly disagrees with Mr. Trump on, as he works to solidify his legacy.
Senator McConnell’s term is set to end in 2027, and he has not confirmed whether he will run for another term. He has stated that his main focus for the next two years will be on promoting his interventionist foreign policy, which contrasts with the incoming president’s "America First" strategy. Additionally, McConnell wants to protect the Senate’s autonomy amidst President Trump’s intentions to exert his influence over the chamber starting in January.
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