President Trump's policy lunch with Senate Republicans devolved into a shouting match with outgoing Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), centering on Trump's handling of the war in Iran and the Senate's passage of a war powers resolution. Trump began by calling out the four GOP senators who voted Tuesday for the resolution to rein in his military campaign, sources told Axios. Cassidy stood up and confronted Trump, stating, "You have not told the American people what's going on. It was supposed to last four weeks. It's lasted four months," according to the senator's account to reporters.
The encounter went further off the rails when Trump twisted the knife, bringing up Cassidy's recent primary loss to a Trump-backed challenger, Cassidy and others said. The war powers resolution, which passed with bipartisan support, directly challenges Trump's authority to conduct military operations in Iran without congressional approval. The SAVE America Act, a voter ID bill Trump was pushing, and his renewed effort to eliminate the filibuster were both overshadowed by the Iran dispute.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) described the lunch as "spirited," while Trump told reporters afterward it was a "good meeting" and the party is "unified," adding he was not happy with every GOP lawmaker. "I don't like a few people, but..." Trump said, leaving the sentence unfinished. The incident highlights deepening fractures within the Republican conference over both foreign policy and internal party discipline.
Cassidy, who lost his primary to a Trump-endorsed challenger, framed his defiance as representing his constituents. "If someone tries to bully me and say, 'Wait a second, because I am whatever I am, I'm going to bully you.' I ain't going to put up with it because I'm sticking up for my people," Cassidy told reporters. The outgoing senator made no apologies for standing up to the president, signaling that even departing Republicans are willing to challenge Trump's leadership.
Analysts view the clash as a preview of post-election dynamics, where Trump's grip on the party may face further tests as lame-duck senators and primary losers voice dissent. The war powers resolution now heads to the House, where Democratic leaders have vowed swift action, potentially setting up a veto showdown.