Congress
Republicans come to grips with midterm reality: Trump won’t be doing them any favors
An emboldened President Donald Trump is determined to flex his power over the GOP — at seemingly any cost.
Republicans are coming to grips with a president who less than six months out from the midterms is focused on racking up a body count of lawmakers who have crossed him, asserting his control over his party and burnishing his legacy — putting the GOP legislative agenda and the survival of its majorities at risk.
That reckoning is playing out on Capitol Hill this week as frustrated Republicans — including some lawmakers that Trump has essentially cast out of the party — joined with Democrats to rebuke his handling of the Iran war, deny public money for his White House ballroom and decry an “anti-weaponization” fund that could be used to pay presidential allies.
It does not appear that Trump or many of his allies in Congress are prepared to heed that message. Instead they are doubling down on loyalty.Speaker Mike Johnson tried to quiet any anxieties within his conference Wednesday, arguing that the president “knows what’s at stake” this November and is working to keep the GOP in control in the House and Senate.
But asked about Trump ousting Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, one of few remaining GOP mavericks in Congress, the speaker made clear that a certain level of dissent will not be tolerated.
“We need people here … who are not trying to carve out their own lane and do something that’s destructive or counterproductive to the agenda, and that’s what’s happened,” Johnson said. “That’s the message.”
Just as Johnson spoke, Trump turned his fire on yet another GOP lawmaker — Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who represents a purple Pennsylvania district that Kamala Harris won in 2024 and is widely seen as the only Republican capable of holding it.
Trump attacked him after fielding a question he didn’t like from a Fox News reporter who is engaged to Fitzpatrick: “He likes voting against Trump. You know what happens with that? It doesn’t work out well.”
Coming on the heels of Trump’s moves to oust two sitting GOP senators, many Republicans blanched as the president again unloaded on one of their own.
“It’s dumb,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who is choosing to retire at the end of his current term after clashing with Trump on numerous issues.
“It seems like he’s given up on holding the majority and focusing on loyalty in the minority,” said another House Republican granted anonymity to speak candidly.
Fitzpatrick told reporters Trump’s attacks would have “zero” effect on his positions: “He can say what he wants. It doesn’t impact me at all. It doesn’t hurt my feelings.”
To be sure, some Republicans are openly cheering the president’s bare-knuckle crackdown on his opponents within the party. But others are despondent about where the president’s attention appears to be — on his ballroom, a triumphal arch and the internal revenge campaign — as gas prices continue to rise and the Iran war drags on with little end in sight.
“I believe that there are people in the White House who couldn’t care less about what happens in November,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who, like Bacon, is retiring. “And that goes to show you how stupid they are, because if they don’t get Republicans reelected, they’re going to create the most miserable two years of this president’s life.”
Trump officials are dismissing any concerns about the president’s focus.
White House spokesperson Olivia Wales touted the president’s policy accomplishments, including border security, tax cuts and a drop in violent crime. She said the president will continue to “draw a contrast” with Democrats ahead of the election by highlighting his “common sense agenda.”
“President Trump is the unequivocal leader, best messenger, and unmatched motivator for the Republican party,” Wales said, while RNC spokesperson Kiersten Pels said “voters overwhelmingly continue to reward candidates who stand with the President and his winning movement.”
A senior White House official said other Republicans simply needed to submit given Trump’s grip on the GOP electorate: “The quicker they understand that President Trump is the ultimate force in politics, the quicker they’ll realize it’s a futile exercise to go against him.”
Back on Capitol Hill, House GOP leaders took a less bombastic approach as they defended Fitzpatrick from Trump’s barbs.
“Look, Brian Fitzpatrick has a very difficult district — he has an independent streak, as we all know — but he’s a very close friend and colleague of mine,” Johnson said in an interview later Wednesday, adding that he was “working hard to get him reelected.”
Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, who leads the House GOP campaign arm, declined to comment on Trump’s attack but noted that “holding that seat is really important for holding the majority.”
Party loyalty was an even touchier subject in the Senate this week as Republicans reeled from the president’s successful campaign to end Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy’s two-term career in the chamber and his late-breaking endorsement undercutting Texas Sen. John Cornyn’s reelection bid.
“There’s growing frustration that the president won’t aim his ire at Democrats instead of Republicans,” said one senior Senate GOP aide who was granted anonymity to speak candidly.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged the tough reality he faces Wednesday, a day after Cassidy helped advance a measure that would rein in Trump’s military campaign against Iran: “Obviously, there’s always a consequence associated with taking on incumbent United States senators.” “He obviously has his favorites and people he wants to endorse, and that’s his prerogative, but what we have to deal with up here is moving an agenda,” Thune added. “Obviously that can become slightly more complicated.”
Trump’s refusal to brook any disagreement with a fellow Republican or walk away from legacy-burnishing projects that others in his party find hard to defend has Democrats feeling more bullish by the day about their midterm opportunities.
“He’s focused on a revenge tour and not at all on the struggles that American families are having, and they see that every day in … his focus on ballrooms or reflecting pools, slush funds, golf courses,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington, who leads Democratic House campaign efforts. “They’ve ignored the needs of the American people.”
Reacting Wednesday to Massie’s loss, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said that all members needed to remember that they are “here to represent the people that sent you” and referenced Cassidy’s loss as another object lesson.
“Just like in Louisiana Saturday, it just goes to show that the voters have the ultimate say on whether we stay or come back, and if you break the trust with your voters, they’re going to send you home,” he said.
Fitzpatrick said much the same.
“Every bill that comes to the floor is either a net positive or a net negative for your district,” he said. “They’re your bosses. … I know my constituents, and I’m sure many other representatives’ constituents do not want taxpayer money going to a ballroom.”
Samuel Benson and Kelsey Brugger contributed to this report.
Multiple Senate Republicans joined Sen. Bernie Moreno in calling for Rep. Max Miller to step down from office Monday amid domestic abuse allegations from the Ohio senator’s daughter.
Bernie Moreno — father of Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno — said in a statement Sunday that Miller should not serve in the House soon after the House Republican did a livestream video attempting to defend himself from abuse accusations.
Many of Bernie Moreno’s GOP colleagues were quick to back him following the statement.
“I don’t know [Miller]. I haven’t read a whole lot about him, but if [Moreno] thinks he ought to resign, I’m supportive of that,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said in an interview.
Miller has denied the allegations, which include pouring hot water on his ex-wife and holding a gun to her head. He has also denied accusations from his ex-wife that he broke his daughter’s collarbone.
Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas condemned Miller, adding, “He should resign. He should quit.”
“I don’t know Mr. Miller’s story, but I trust Bernie so much as a good friend, and his family has such high values,” Marshall said in an interview. “I couldn’t imagine them wanting this out in public. So to go through with this, it makes me think that they’re telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
The surge of support from Bernie Moreno’s Senate colleagues marks the first significant crack in a wall of GOP silence regarding the allegations against Miller. The skepticism from Miller’s own party will almost certainly weigh down the congressman’s already floundering campaign as he battles Democratic candidate Brian Poindexter to keep his Cleveland-area House seat.
Miller has until Wednesday to withdraw from the ballot and allow a crash primary to select a replacement.
Some Republican lawmakers stopped short of calling on Miller to withdraw or resign while expressing grave concern about the allegations.
“The accusations are very serious, and if there is truth to them, I am one who says that our elected officials need to be held to high standards,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said. “And certainly, when it comes to allegations of domestic abuse, child abuse, that’s not what we want in our lawmakers.”
A spokesperson for Miller did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In response to Moreno’s statement, Miller said on Sunday, “If my daughter said the same thing to me, I personally wouldn’t wait two years before holding him accountable.”
“You know this isn’t true and the only reason you are speaking out now is to hide from your own media circus,” he added in the post on X.
Notably still silent was GOP Sen. Jon Husted, Ohio’s other senator, who while leaving the Capitol Monday did not respond to reporters’ questions about whether Miller should resign.
Other Republicans in the Ohio House delegation are also staying quiet for now. Almost every House Republican from the state either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment on Moreno’s statement.
The exception was Rep. Jim Jordan, who brushed off questions in a Thursday CNN interview about Miller but noted he was “a good man” and was recently campaigning for him.
Asked Monday if Miller should still serve in Congress following Bernie Moreno’s statement, spokesperson for Jordan Stefanie Farrell said, “As Mr. Jordan has said, it’s up to the voters of Ohio’s 7th District.”
Back in the Senate, other Republicans who were unaware of the situation declined to weigh in on the incident.
“I am not aware of the situation, so I don’t have a comment right now,” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who has been a leading GOP voice on domestic violence issues within the military.
But a steady drip of Republican senators said Monday evening they trusted Bernie Moreno.“It would surprise me if Bernie were being untruthful,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming said. “I guess I was surprised that it bubbled up to the public sphere, but I suspect that Bernie has got a beat on the situation.”
Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia said he was unaware of the details of the allegations but that “Bernie’s a pretty level-headed guy.”
“I don’t know enough about the allegations, but like Bernie said, it sounds like he thinks he needs psychological help,” Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said, adding, “I trust Bernie.”
Chris Marquette contributed to this report.
Senate Budget Committee Republicans will meet Tuesday morning to talk about advancing a fiscal blueprint for a new party-line spending bill.
Chair Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) declined to say , in an interview Monday if he plans to introduce a resolution this week, noting that he was “working with leadership” and that the “first priority” is to pass a stopgap spending bill. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a panel member, said he didn’t expect the Senate to take up a budget resolution this week because “I don’t think my leadership wants to do it.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune hasn’t ruled out taking up a budget resolution but has been frank about the challenges it faces among GOP senators.
The Senate’s stopgap funding bill to avert a shutdown on Oct. 1 has cleared the first procedural hurdle, putting it on track for passage before lawmakers leave for the August recess.
Senators voted 89-4 to advance the measure, which would fund federal agencies through Dec. 11 at current levels, with some exceptions.
In order for a passage vote to happen ahead of the summer break, Senate leaders will need to strike a bipartisan time agreement to fast-track the measure to a final vote.
“It is a strong bipartisan piece of legislation, and I hope it will receive overwhelming support from both parties in the Senate,” Majority Leader John Thune said in a Monday floor speech.
Senate passage would up a potential battle with the House, because the stopgap measure the House passed two weeks ago has key differences from the Senate version. Identical versions must be passed to actually avert a shutdown at the end of the fiscal year.
The Senate measure includes language to bar the Trump administration from putting into action a plan to make political appointees in charge of approving grants, a prohibition that would last for the length of the stopgap. It also has language sought by Democrats to ensure Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement don’t get any new funding under the patch.
“The bill allows us to continue negotiating a budget that won’t leave working families behind,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday.
The White House did not respond to multiple requests for comment about if President Donald Trump supports the Senate measure. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), an appropriator and administration ally, said Monday he had spoken to Trump earlier in the day and believed the president is “comfortable” with the Senate bill.
Jordain Carney and Jennifer Scholtes contributed to this report.
-
The Josh Fourrier Show2 years agoDOOMSDAY: Trump won, now what?
-
Politics1 year agoFormer ‘Squad’ members launching ‘Bowman and Bush’ YouTube show
-
The Dictatorship1 year agoLuigi Mangione acknowledges public support in first official statement since arrest
-
Uncategorized2 years ago
Bob Good to step down as Freedom Caucus chair this week
-
Politics1 year agoFormer Kentucky AG Daniel Cameron launches Senate bid
-
The Dictatorship1 year agoPete Hegseth’s tenure at the Pentagon goes from bad to worse
-
Politics1 year agoBlue Light News’s Editorial Director Ryan Hutchins speaks at Blue Light News’s 2025 Governors Summit
-
The Dictatorship11 months agoMike Johnson sums up the GOP’s arrogant position on military occupation with two words