On Feb 28, 2024, Mitch McConnell announced that he would step down as Republican Senate leader in November, ending his record-setting tenure. But McConnell is not going quietly into the night. He has taken the lead in attacking the Democrats over the Israel -Gaza war. He endorsed Donald Trump, despite the fact they despise each other. He continues to press for aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. He remains the Republican's most powerful fundraiser in his quest to recapture a Senate majority.Ira Shapiro, the author of The Betrayal: How Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans Abandoned America (Rowman & Littlefield; 2022 & updated paperback May 14, 2024), is an unquestioned authority on the Senate and Senator McConnell, known for both his harsh indictment of McConnell and his fairness in analyzing him. The paperback edition of The Betrayal, updated to cover the tumultuous events of the past two years, will be released on May 14, 2024.Ira Shapiro’s forty-five-year Washington career has focused on American politics and international trade. Shapiro served twelve years in senior staff positions in the U.S. Senate, working for Senators Jacob Javits, Gaylord Nelson, Abraham Ribicoff, Thomas Eagleton, Robert Byrd, and Jay Rockefeller. He served in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative during the Clinton administration, first as general counsel and then chief negotiator with Japan and Canada, with the rank of ambassador.