Mitch McConnell Touts ‘Unfinished Business’ in Ramping Up American Foreign Intervention in Retirement Announcement
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) touted bringing home the bacon to Kentucky and his “unfinished business” perpetuating a national defense strategy crafted in the 1980s in a Senate floor speech Thursday announcing his retirement.
McConnell, who turned 83 Thursday, has been expected to retire following his resignation under pressure as Senate Republican Leader in early 2024, but reports of his upcoming retirement announcement Thursday morning still reverberated across Washington.
In his speech, the longtime Senate leader told colleagues, “I’ve only really answered to two constituencies, the Republican Conference and the people of Kentucky.”
McConnell thanked Kentuckians for electing him to the Senate seven times, announcing, “I will not seek that honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.”
He continued, “The only appropriate thing to take away today, apart from my healthy dose of pride, is my immense gratitude for the opportunity to take part in the consequential business of the Senate and the nation.”
The octogenarian, one of the wealthiest legislators despite spending his entire life in public service, said “This institution, it has repaid my devotion so generously over the years.”
He beamed while speaking of his work steering federal taxpayer money to his home state over decades.
“Efforts like these have spanned the length of my Senate career, and I’ve been humbled each and every opportunity to help Kentucky punch above its weight,” he said.
McConnell also discussed his contributions to the Senate’s advise and consent role in the federal judiciary, touting the Senate’s duty “to ensure that the men and women who preside over [federal courts] profess authentic devotion to the rule of law above all else. When members of this body ignore, discount, or pervert this fundamental duty, they do so, not just at the peril of the Senate, but of the whole nation.”
The former leader has been a thorn in the side of President Donald Trump. The two had a tenuous relationship during Trump’s first administration, when McConnell as Senate Majority Leader advanced Trump’s agenda — primarily through court appointments — when their priorities overlapped, but often bucked the president.
Now relegated to the back bench, McConnell has more openly fought Trump’s agenda, particularly on defense and foreign policy, where McConnell has advocated for continuing almost unlimited American interference and spending overseas despite the Cold War ending decades ago.
“Thanks to Ronald Reagan’s determination, the work of strengthening America’s hard power was well underway when I arrived in the Senate, but since then, we’ve allowed that power to atrophy,” McConnell said. “And today, a dangerous world threatens to outpace the work of rebuilding it. So lest any of our colleagues still doubt my intentions for the remainder of my term, I have some unfinished business to attend to in our work.”
McConnell closed by touting the importance of the Senate, which continues to suffer from low approval ratings.
“There are any number of reasons for pessimism, but the strength of the Senate is not one of them,” he said.
“This chamber is still the haven where the political minority can require debate,” he continued. “It’s still the crucible in which jurists are tested for their fidelity to upholding the Constitution and laws as they were written.
“The Senate is still equipped for work of great consequence, and to the disappointment of my critics, our critics. I’m still here on the job.”
Bradley Jaye is Deputy Political Editor for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter and Instagram @BradleyAJaye
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