After stepping down from his position as Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his own battles and use his influence in ways that may clash with President-elect Donald J. Trump. McConnell, who held the title of longest-serving Senate leader, is planning to assert his power in new ways in the upcoming Congress.
After being in a leadership position for a long time, McConnell is stepping down and preparing to use his power in ways that may lead to conflicts with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky and the Senate’s most experienced leader, 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
Reporting live from the Capitol building
During President Donald J. Trump’s time in the White House, Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky, who was the majority leader at the time, played a key role in supporting and advancing his agenda.
After serving as Senate leader for the longest period of time, Mr. McConnell will be stepping down from his position in January. He seems to be preparing to shift his focus towards issues that may lead to disagreements with Mr. Trump regarding policies and personnel as he begins his second term.
Lately, Mr. McConnell, who is 82 years old, has expressed to his colleagues that stepping down from his leadership position has made him feel free. This feeling was particularly evident during a late-night Senate floor voting session last week.
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 indicated that he will focus on two issues that he strongly disagrees with Mr. Trump on as he works to solidify his legacy in the Senate before his time is up.
Senator McConnell’s term is set to end in 2027, and it is unclear whether he will run for another term. He has expressed his intention to prioritize his foreign policy approach, which contrasts with the incoming president’s "America First" stance. Additionally, McConnell aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy, especially as President Trump is set to have control over the executive and legislative branches.
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