As U.S. President?Donald Trump took an aggressive stance on the global stage at the United Nations on Tuesday, several U.S. Senate Republicans were breaking from the president back in Washington.
The GOP backlash, which has been simmering below the surface throughout Trump’s second term as lawmakers privately grumbled he hasn’t focused enough on affordability issues, burst into public view as a rapid succession of Republicans challenged Trump on everything from the Iran war to the president’s “lavish” summit this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Republicans have long been loathe to openly criticize the president, who has wielded an uncommonly strong hold over his party and retains long memories about who has crossed him. Back in May, eight Indiana state lawmakers who defied Trump on a redistricting plan faced their primary voters, and only two won. The president that month similarly ended Texas Sen. John Cornyn’s political career by backing Ken Paxton’s primary challenge instead.
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