One name is conspicuously missing from all the headlines and reports surrounding President-elect Donald Trump's pick to head the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth. That person is former Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. However, this does not mean that he is not compatible with previous games. The rapid weakening of Senate resistance to Trump's selection is indicative of all his characteristics.
True, Mr. McConnell has (reluctantly) stepped back from officially leading the party, but that doesn't mean he can write off his responsibilities.
least popular senator In America. Even though he gave up the title, he didn't give up that much. In January, he will chair the influential Defense Appropriations Committee, as well as the highly influential Rules Committee.
He cannot serve the longest term as Senate Majority Leader unless he wins most of his battles.
“He's still very powerful. He has de jure power, but he also has de facto power,” a longtime Senate observer told Blaze News.
And Trump is certainly not happy to be back in Washington.
A week after Trump won the popular vote, making him the first Republican candidate to win the popular vote in 20 years and placing him in the pantheon of Republican election victories behind Ronald Reagan in 1988 and Richard Nixon in 1972, McConnell boasted that his unpopularity was an expression of his own principles. stand — and
promised He will be a thorn in the side of the incoming Republican administration, he said at the American Enterprise Institute's annual gala.
“From now on, I will increase my concentration.” [on] Strengthen America's Promise [and] We are fighting a dangerous trend towards isolationism,” he told a room full of neocons.
“This is how I spend most of my time.'' For those who don't know, this has nothing to do with the president-elect's foreign policy: Washington is increasing its involvement in Ukraine and the Middle East. That's it.
He has remained silent since then, but his supporters in the Senate have not. McConnell ally Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has voiced opposition to Hegseth's nomination after voting to confirm President Joe Biden's disastrous nominee, General Lloyd Austin. , took the lead.
But Ernst grossly miscalculated the national mood and immediately faced fierce opposition from Republicans of all stripes.
BlazeTV host Steve Diecean influential Iowan who threatened a pro-Trump primary if he didn't change his tune. By the beginning of the week, Mr. Ernst had recanted his public comments about Mr. Hegseth and had also expressed enthusiastic support for other Trump candidates, including FBI director nominee Kash Patel.
McConnell's name was conspicuously absent from the report. The old man remained calm and let his little assistant handle the fall. That's his style anyway. Remember Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford's amnesty and border deal? That disaster was all McConnell's fault, but when it exploded in Lankford's face (and was subsequently featured in every Democratic-leaning ad and debate topic of the campaign), McConnell disappeared.
Of course, he won't be able to serve as Senate majority leader for the longest time without winning most of his battles. Mr. McConnell was furious when Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) dared to withhold military promotions until the Pentagon ended its illegal pro-abortion policies. But when you read the headline, you might think,
that was all Ernst, Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Lindsey Graham (R.S.C.) turned to their colleagues to add more generals to the roster. McConnell is happy to make you think so.
It's not just arm-twisting and scaring children. Mr. McConnell often finds success with simple suggestions such as: … Do you think Tuberville should “risk national security” over there? … We'd better do something about it. Take control! ”
However, if you fail, it's your fault. This last song made Ernst shiver like a leaf, and she would tremble alone until the cold wind blew through. When Lankford's immigration bill passed, McConnell also voted against it. Frank Costello of “The Departed'' exclaims, “He never gave up on anyone who wouldn't fall.''
McConnell may have relinquished the title, but he retains power. Furthermore, he has devoted his remaining years to promoting and protecting a foreign policy that is in direct conflict with the incoming administration. The path will be difficult for new Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R.S.D.), a longtime McConnell supporter. He's going to have to prove he's his own man – especially if his old boss decides to burn everything down to resist Congress. The returned president.
The election is over, but the battle for who will control D.C. is just beginning.
Punch bowl: Changes in Hegseth's atmosphere
the hill: McConnell receives medical treatment after falling
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Introducing Josephine Jeanne Bedford
I was away last month, and while I really missed the thrill of the post-election weeks, nothing beats spending time at home caring for my wife Sarah and our young daughter. I can hold her in the crook of my arm. Thanksgiving (and its leftovers) didn't hurt either.
It's tempting to forget everything, but fighting has been brewing in Washington since I first arrived more than 20 years ago, and just because it started doesn't mean it's going to end. So let me introduce you to the newest member of our family, Josephine Jeanne Bedford.
And let's get back to the fight.
