After stepping down from his role as Senate leader, Mitch McConnell is now free to choose his own battles and plans to use his power in ways that may conflict with President-elect Donald Trump. McConnell, who has been in the Senate for a long time, is no longer bound by the responsibilities of leadership and can now focus on pushing for his own agenda.
After stepping down from his position as the longest-serving Senate leader, McConnell is now free to choose his battles and use his influence in ways that may not align with President-elect Donald J. Trump.
Senator Mitch McConnell, who is a Republican from Kentucky and has been serving as the Senate leader for the longest period, will be resigning from his position in January. Photo credit: Kent Nishimura for The New York Times.
Backed by
Written by Catie Edmondson
Live updates from the Capitol
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 Trump and helping to pass his policies.
Mr. McConnell, who has been the Senate leader for the longest period of time, will be stepping down from his position in January. It seems like he is now planning to focus on different 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 been expressing to his colleagues that stepping down from his leadership position has made him feel free. This feeling was particularly 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 selections. He also mentioned that he believes former Representative Matt Gaetz’s decision to withdraw from consideration as attorney general was the right move. Additionally, Mr. McConnell has indicated that he will focus on two key issues during his remaining time in the Senate, which happen to be topics where he differs significantly from Mr. Trump.
Senator McConnell’s term expires in 2027, and it’s uncertain if he will run again. He intends to prioritize his foreign policy agenda, which differs from the incoming president’s "America First" stance. Additionally, he aims to protect the Senate’s autonomy, especially with the impending power shift to President Trump in January.
We are experiencing difficulties in accessing the content of the article.
To use this website properly, make sure that JavaScript is enabled
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm your access. If you are currently using Reader mode, please close it and sign in to your Times account, or consider subscribing to access all of The Times.
We appreciate your understanding as we confirm your access.
Have you already signed up as a subscriber? If so,
Get full access to The Times by subscribing.
Prom
Index of the website’s pages
Navigation to access