Mitch McConnell (R-KY) warned that he has no plans to leave the Senate even after stepping down as GOP leader, saying his goal is to fight the “isolationist movement” in his own party.
McConnell refuses to leave the Senate
McConnell, 82, told WHAS that although he will relinquish his leadership post later this year, he plans to serve out the remainder of his Senate term, which doesn’t end until 2026.
“I am particularly committed to the fight against the isolationist movement in my own party. And some in the other too. And the symbol of that lately is: are we going to help Ukraine or not?” McConnell said, according to Politico. “I have this kind of thought in mind for the next couple of years as something I will focus on.”
McConnell made similar comments during another interview this week.
“I’m not leaving the Senate. And I’m particularly committed to fighting the isolationist movement,” McConnell said, according to the New York Post. “For the next two years, that’s something I’m going to focus on.”
McConnell added that Americans are living in “the most dangerous moment for the free world since [before] the Berlin Wall has fallen.”
“My party tends to be isolationist when there is a Democrat in the White House,” McConnell explained. “Most Republicans voted against Lend-Lease going into World War II, and Pearl Harbor solved the problem.”
Related: Mitch McConnell says foreign aid bill is ‘the only thing to do, put aside the border’ – Report
McConnell disagrees with Rand Paul
Asked how his views on foreign aid differ from those of his fellow Kentucky Republican Rand Paul, who has openly expressed his opinion that the United States should not send more money to Ukraine, McConnell responded that Paul “would the first to say that he is an isolationist” and that the two have never agreed on foreign policy.
McConnell went on to say that he finds it disturbing that a growing number of Senate Republicans are coming around to Paul’s view on this matter and are opting not to vote to send more money to Ukraine.
“What has made this more problematic is, it seems to me, that others are heading in that direction, making easily refutable arguments. We are not losing any of our troops, it is the Ukrainians who are fighting,” McConnell lamented. “If the Russians took Ukraine, some NATO country would be next and we would be right in the middle.”
Related: Trump Jr. rips Mitch McConnell as ‘Pro-amnesty Turtle’ after vast majority of $118 billion Senate bill goes to Israel, Ukraine
McConnell refuses to discuss Trump
Former President Donald Trump has made it clear that he, too, is not in favor of sending more aid to Ukraine. While McConnell offered less than enthusiastic support for Trump last month, he appears to have tried to avoid speaking publicly about the former president of late.
“I have a lot going on with the Senate,” McConnell said when asked if he had spoken to Trump recently. “Biden has problems too. Both of these candidates don’t fare well with the public. One of them will win. What am I going to do? I will focus on trying to turn my job over to the next majority leader.”
McConnell also said his top priority is ensuring Republicans flip the Senate this November.
“I would like whoever succeeds me to be the majority leader,” he concluded.
McConnell isn’t even trying to hide the fact that he’s America Last at this point, so it’s a shame he’s so determined to finish his term. Ultimately, he is the last kind of Republican the right needs in the Senate at this critical moment, so let’s hope he reconsiders his decision and mercifully retires.
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