After stepping down from his role as Senate leader, McConnell is preparing to choose his battles independently. He intends to leverage his power in ways that may lead to disagreements with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
After stepping down from his leadership role in the Senate, Mitch McConnell is now free to choose his own battles and use his power in ways that may not align with President-elect Donald Trump. McConnell, who has been the Senate leader for the longest time, is preparing to assert his influence in a different manner in the upcoming Congress.
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 credit goes to Kent Nishimura for The New York Times.
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Written by Catie Edmondson
Providing updates from the seat
During President Donald J. Trump’s previous term in the White House, Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky who held the position of majority leader at the time, played a significant role in supporting him and helping to pass his policies.
Mr. McConnell, who has been the Senate leader for the longest time, will be stepping down from his position in January. This time, he seems to be preparing to take a different approach by prioritizing issues that may lead to disagreements with Mr. Trump regarding policies and personnel at the beginning of his second term.
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 and relieved. This was evident during a late-night voting session 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 the right move. Mr. McConnell has also hinted that as he works to establish his legacy in the Senate, he will focus on two issues that he disagrees with Mr. Trump on.
Senator McConnell has not confirmed if he will seek another term after his current one ends in 2027. He intends to prioritize advancing his interventionist foreign policy stance in the next two years, which contrasts with the incoming president’s "America First" approach. Additionally, McConnell aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy at a time when the president-elect is determined to exert his influence on the chamber.
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