President Donald Trump and Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, had a tense meeting on Wednesday. The president questioned Cassidy’s vote for a war powers resolution that seeks to block further U.S. military action against Iran.
Details of the Meeting
Cassidy, one of four Republicans who backed the measure, told Trump that he would continue voting for war powers resolutions until there’s a congressional briefing on developments in Iran. Trump reportedly raised his voice and called Cassidy a “lunatic”. Cassidy acknowledged losing his temper but said he tried to de-escalate the situation.
The exchange reflects growing unease among congressional Republicans about the durability of their thin majorities on Capitol Hill in this year’s elections, particularly in the turmoil of the Iran war. Trump had previously ended Cassidy’s political career by backing a Republican rival in Louisiana’s Republican primary.
Reaction from Other Republicans
Other Republicans tried to downplay the clash, with Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, saying that disagreements are normal. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, an Alabama Republican, described the encounter as a “halftime talk” and said it was probably needed.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
