Key Takeaways:
President Donald Trump's confrontation with Senate Republicans over his Iran war has opened a rift within the party that threatens to derail its legislative agenda and complicate midterm election prospects, with just four months until voters go to the polls.
Trump berated GOP senators at a closed-door Capitol luncheon Wednesday after four Republicans — including Louisiana's Bill Cassidy — voted with Democrats a day earlier to pass a war powers resolution directing the president to withdraw US forces from hostilities with Iran. It was the first time such a measure had cleared both chambers of Congress since the War Powers Act was enacted in 1973.
"The president called senators who voted against his war 'losers' and referred to Cassidy as a 'lunatic' during the exchange," according to a person familiar with the private meeting who was not authorized to discuss it. Cassidy stood up and defended his vote, telling Trump he had not been transparent about the conflict's objectives.
Hours later, Cassidy received a personal briefing at the White House from Vice President JD Vance and envoy Steve Witkoff. He returned to the Capitol to vote against a nearly identical war powers resolution, which failed 47-50-1 just before midnight. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who had repeatedly voted with Democrats to halt the war, voted present "to give the President more space and leverage to negotiate a lasting peace," he said on X.
The Iran conflict, which began Feb. 28, has stretched well beyond the 60-day deadline the War Powers Act sets for unauthorized hostilities. Trump declared the hostilities "terminated" by a ceasefire on May 1, but legal experts said that argument might not survive judicial scrutiny. A Reuters/Ipsos poll this week showed just one in four Americans believe the war is worth its costs, with Trump's approval rating dropping to 34 percent.
The political fallout extends beyond the war. Trump reversed course Wednesday on a bipartisan housing bill that had passed both chambers overwhelmingly, declaring he would not sign it until the Senate sends him the SAVE America Act — a proof-of-citizenship voting bill that lacks the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster in the 53-47 Senate.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has repeatedly told Trump the bill cannot pass, saying Tuesday that "it's just not realistic." North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said he does not understand why Trump is holding the housing bill "hostage" for legislation that "will never pass in this Congress."
The friction has been building for weeks. Trump blocked the Senate from confirming Jay Clayton as national intelligence director, asked Republicans to fund parts of his White House ballroom project, and endorsed primary challengers to Cassidy and Texas Sen. John Cornyn — both of whom lost reelection and have since become more critical of the president.
"If we're going to win the midterm elections, we need to get on the same page," Cornyn said ahead of the meeting. "We're not on the same page now, and that I think is dangerous."
The last time a president faced a similar rebellion from his own party over war powers was in 1973, when Congress passed the War Powers Act over President Richard Nixon's veto. That law has never been successfully enforced against a sitting president, and legal experts said the concurrent resolution passed Tuesday — which does not carry the force of law — is unlikely to change that precedent.
Still, the close votes send a signal. Senate Republicans narrowly blocked Wednesday's measure only after two members switched their positions following direct White House pressure. With the midterm elections approaching and Trump's approval below 40 percent, the question of whether the party can project unity — or even pass basic legislation — remains open.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
