Trump tweeted, criticizing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan for not tying a debt ceiling raise into a Veterans Affairs bill that passed with bipartisan support. In a campaign-style rally, he whipped up the frenzy with escalating rhetoric: “If we have to close down our government, we’re building that wall”, he exclaimed, as supporters chanted, “Build the wall!” Call it the anti-charm offensive. Was President Trump one of the Senate Republicans to cast a vote against clean repeal of Obamacare? Bob Corker (R-TN) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) as well.
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Sources with knowledge of the call said the exchange quickly devolved into a shouting match, as an irate Trump expressed his frustrations about the congressional investigation into Russian interference in the U.S. election previous year and fumed about a Russia sanctions bill Congress passed that would tie Trump’s hands on the matter.
“He is animated about the wall”, the person said. Trump said in a tweet on Thursday, echoing criticisms he made earlier this month. I love the Great State of Arizona. He also accused Flake, a frequent critic of the president, of being “weak on borders, weak on crime”.
“I’m not anxious that it isn’t going to get done because it’s going to get done”, he said.
Republicans should have no trouble not only holding their Senate majority in the 2018 elections but growing it.
Mr Trump wrote, “If Senate Republicans don’t get rid of the Filibuster Rule and go to a 51% majority, few bills will be passed”.
All of this is happening because Trump is so relentlessly self-centered that he can’t grasp the idea that even if Republicans in Congress are getting on his nerves, he’ll only hurt himself if he helps them fail.
But the political threats here have to spook Republicans the most. Trump asked – on camera. Never mind that repeal would have hit Trump voters particularly hard; Bannon believes Trump must have a “win” – if it isn’t the sight of Trump stomping all over something with Obama’s name on it, the wall will have to do – or the base will be crushed with shame and disappointment over their loser president.
John Hart, a Republican strategist who was communications director for former Sen. By courting a shutdown, Trump can be a champion of both principles. Ditto Flake’s refusal to endorse Trump in 2016 after the NY businessman won the GOP nomination.
The rift could have a major impact on the president’s legislative agenda. “And he’s handing the quote-unquote fake news media a very real story about an intra-party battle”, Hart said.
Trump has pointed the finger at Republican leadership for failing to score more legislative victories and added pressure on lawmakers to avoid a government shutdown, raise the debt ceiling and get tax reform – a longtime GOP promise – off the ground. The president is not insane to attack the Congress.
Tuman noted, “I’m continuously surprised at his inability to put things aside” to further his agenda.
Donald Trump is not a strategic thinker.
In previous years, there have often been voices in the Republican Party, especially in the House Freedom Caucus, that would cheer a Republican willing to threaten a government shutdown over a conservative-policy concession.
McConnell was “unequivocal” about it, said spokesman Don Stewart.
How “deplorable” this particular vote bank is can be seen in all the crudities expressed by Trump and all his racist and authoritarian stances adopted by him to appeal to that constituency, now seen by all as his “core constituency”.
“It’s just not smart”, Wilson said, for Trump and GOP leaders to spar when all should be focused on tax reform and immigration enforcement.
Ryan, who answered questions Thursday from employees at Boeing Co in Everett, Washington, said the debt ceiling will be raised. “They’re both big boys”.
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White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was repeatedly asked on August 24 if President Trump was reneging on his campaign promise for Mexico to pay for a border wall, a day after President Trump’s threat to shut down the government over funding its construction. Trump is expected to hold meetings with congressional leaders after the Labor Day holiday.
