On Friday night, Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell strode onto the Senate floor and, without a moment’s hesitation, voted against the Republican president’s nominee for secretary of defense. The vote marked the hard launch of a new, unburdened, and final chapter in McConnell’s 40-year Senate career.

We shouldn’t expect McConnell to be the next John McCain or Mitt Romney, but his vote Friday against Pete Hegseth previewed some fascinating dynamics ahead.

Sen. Mitch McConnell accused new defense secretary Pete Hegseth of having "no substantial observations on how to defend Taiwan or the Philippines against a Chinese attack."

"McConnell spent his life creating this crisis...Only at the end does he find a conscience," political commentator Wajahat Ali wrote.

As Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell engineered many of the wins of Donald Trump’s first term, but he was right Friday night to finally say no to Trump in opposing the unqualified Pete

For most of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s 18-year tenure as the Senate Republican Leader, he was vilified as an “establishment” do-nothing by Tea Party and MAGA activists.

With a vote against Pete Hegseth, the former GOP leader makes clear he will be an unreliable ally of Donald Trump.

Three Republicans voted with every Democrat against Trump’s controversial pick to lead the Pentagon, forcing Vance to step in and put Hegseth over the top.

Former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell cast a surprise vote Friday night against Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s controversial nominee to head the Department of Defense.

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell through several personal shots at President Donald Trump’s scandal-plagued secretary of defense Pete Hegseth just as he was barely confirmed for the job on Friday. McConnell,

Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky voted against President Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth.