McConnell has effectively served as Trump’s firewall on Capitol Hill, but he also has long pursued a political strategy that isn’t wholly tied to Trump. He’s touted the 2020 Senate elections more as a fight to save the country from socialism than a bid to save Trump’s accomplishments from attack.

The majority leader’s chief complaints with Trump continue to be primarily focused on foreign policy. Following up a sharply worded opinion piece last week opposing Trump’s abandonment of the Kurds in Syria — without mentioning the president’s name — McConnell on Tuesday called on the Senate to dissuade Trump from doing something similar in Afghanistan and Iraq…

Some members of McConnell’s leadership team aren’t hiding their own exasperation, even as they join House Republicans in criticizing the closed door impeachment hearings.

Asked if Trump is in trouble, Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri simply responded, “I don’t know.”