Mitch McConnell will step down from Senate GOP leadership in November

• Mitch McConnell will announce that he is stepping down from GOP leadership.
• McConnell will serve out the remainder of his term that ends in January 2027.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will announce on Wednesday that he is stepping down from leading Senate Republicans after decades in the post.

McConnell will announce the decision during a speech on the Senate floor, per The Associated Press, which obtained his prepared remarks in advance. While he may be stepping down for leadership, McConnell does intend to serve out the rest of his term that will end in January 2027.

"One of life's most underappreciated talents is to know when it's time to move on to life's next chapter," McConnell will say. "So I stand before you today ... to say that this will be my last term as Republican leader of the Senate."

The 82-year-old will also say that "it is time for the next generation of leadership."

"Father Time remains undefeated. I am no longer the young man sitting in the back, hoping colleagues would remember my name," McConnell will say, per the remarks.

In recent weeks, McConnell has faced calls to step down based on his handling of a sweeping border-Ukraine bipartisan deal.

Senate conservatives were able to kill off the immigration-related provisions $95 billion defense aid package. But McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer later teamed up to ram the defense provisions through the chamber, which included aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not consider the proposal before its passage.

Last year, McConnell froze up during public appearances, leading to concerns about his health. According to the AP, McConnell's decision is unrelated to his health.

The Kentuckian has also declined to endorse former President Donald Trump's presidential campaign, a stark contrast to the embraces extended by House GOP leadership. Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican and Trump ally, unsuccessfully challenged McConnell for the leadership mantle after the 2022 midterms.

McConnell's largest legacy will likely be his role in helping Trump confirm an at-times record pace in confirming conservative judges, including three Supreme Court justices who went on to overturn Roe v. Wade.