1 issue where the Biden administration and Mitch McConnell really see eye to eye

Mitch McConnell.
(Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

"On the domestic front, I have not yet witnessed something I've been happy about," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told Politico in an interview, referring to the Biden administration's policy choices. But when it comes to Myanmar, the Southeast Asian nation which has recently been rocked by a military coup and subsequent nationwide pro-democracy protests, "[the administration's] instincts are good. I think they're trying to do the right thing."

As it turns out the White House feels the same way about McConnell, who has been invested in Myanmar's fate for decades. Because of his experience championing democratic efforts in the country and his relationship with ousted and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the White House is relying on McConnell, normally a political adversary, to help shape its Myanmar policy. McConnell's heavy involvement has helped the Biden administration "create a united front with lawmakers in both parties" on the issue, Politico reports, and he's getting some rare praise from top administration officials in response.

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.