- White
House flips Republican senators - Despite
Trump’s public attacks on them - Trump
urged voters to reject them
It coincides with the administration’s rare defeat in the
Senate last week, when five members of the president’s party defected to
support a War Powers resolution put forth by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) that
would have limited the administration’s ability to launch additional strikes
against Venezuela and advanced it to a final floor vote. Trump responded
angrily to the vote on Truth Social.
“Republicans should be ashamed of the Senators that just
voted with Democrats in attempting to take away our Powers to fight and defend
the United States of America. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh
Hawley, and Todd Young should never be elected to office again,”
wrote a
furious Trump on Thursday.
According to Politico, the White House is now contacting
some or all of those senators in an effort to allay their worries regarding the
administration’s plans for the South American nation where American forces
kidnapped its president, Nicolas Maduro, in a shocking raid earlier this month.
Maduro is currently being prosecuted in New York for cocaine trafficking.
The White House has until Wednesday, when the Senate will
hold a “vote-a-rama” session to discuss the resolution’s final
passage, according to Kaine. In order to reject the resolution on the final
vote, the president’s team would need to flip two Republican votes, assuming
that all Democratic senators continue to support it.
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, one of those senators, told
Politico that she would not be changing her vote. The president may
theoretically flip the remaining four. Todd Young, for example, failed to
respond to the news outlet when asked if he would modify his mind regarding the
last passage.
If the White House succeeds, the Republicans in the chamber
may raise further opposition to the White House.
However, the administration’s strategy for Venezuela and,
more generally, its military posture in the western hemisphere are symbolically
rebuked by its advancement last week and possible ultimate passage. Senators
are debating Trump’s threats to use military force to take Greenland from
Denmark, as well as other possible interventions in Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and
potentially Iran, at the same time as the votes.
The future of Venezuela, in particular, is currently a
source of concern for the White House. The president and his staff have not
definitively said how they think Maduro’s presidency should end or endorsed a
particular Venezuelan to assume power.
Maduro was charged by U.S. officials with leading the
“Cartel de los Soles,” a massive criminal organization that allegedly
included members of the military, intelligence agencies, and other high-ranking
government officials.
Trump has frequently stated that the United States will
“run” Venezuela for the time being and has consistently declined to
rule out the possibility of sending American soldiers there. One of the five
Republican defectors, Hawley, was persuaded to rejoin the White House by
assurances that the latter possibility is unlikely, according to Politico.
Hawley argued in a press conference hours prior to the
president’s irate remarks on Truth Social that his vote wasn’t intended as a
slight to the president.
For once, it appears that Donald Trump may be up against it
in the GOP-controlled Senate rather than the Democrats. In the end, however,
the president is unchecked by Congress as he plans potential extensions of his
regime change initiatives to Iran, where different estimates suggest that over
600 people have been killed in government crackdowns against nationwide
protests.
The president may have given the clearest hint to date on
Thursday that the United States intended to act in Iran, potentially with the
goal of toppling the Iranian regime.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR
INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big
price,”
the president wrote on Truth Social, before vowing:
“HELP IS ON
ITS WAY.”
Which Republican senators are most at risk of losing their
seats in 2026?
Democratic Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina faces the
loftiest threat of defeat in the 2026 polls after publicizing withdrawal, with
former Popular Governor Roy Cooper rising as a strong frontrunner in the open
seat race.
Tillis’s exit opens a premier volley occasion in Trump- won
North Carolina, where RNC Chair Michael Whatley Trump’s championed seeker and
former energy lobbyist trails Cooper’s statewide dominance. Updates show Cooper
leading by 5- 8 points amid affordability and healthcare messaging that
propelled Popular earnings.
Contestant Susan Collins holds Maine’s sole GOP seat in a
Kamala Harris 7 state, surviving 2020 by 9 points but facing moderate Democrat
Rep. Jared Golden or statewide contenders. Her New England outlier status
invites high spending to portray her as a Trump supporter despite bipartisan
record.
