Washington, 13 November 2024 (dpa/MIA) - The Republicans in the US Senate on Wednesday elected John Thune of South Dakota as the chamber's next majority leader.

The Republicans secured a majority in the Senate in last week's US election, which also swept Donald Trump back into the White House.

The Democrats will continue to hold the reins in the chamber until January, with Republican Mitch McConnell as minority leader of his conservative party. He announced at the beginning of the year that he would give up his leadership role.

Thune, who is 63, has represented the state of South Dakota in the Senate for almost 20 years. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1997 and to the Senate in 2005.

He initially criticized Trump for his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which the real estate mogul lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

However, he quickly lined up behind Trump again. Earlier this year, he voted in favour of billions in aid for Ukraine, despite opposition from some hard-right Republicans in Congress.

"I am extremely honored to have earned the support of my colleagues to lead the Senate in the 119th Congress, and I am beyond proud of the work we have done to secure our majority and the White House,” Thune said in a statement. "This Republican team is united behind President Trump’s agenda, and our work starts today."

Photo: EPA