GOP breaking with an unpopular Trump
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios.
Congressional Republicans are increasingly breaking with an unpopular president on foreign policy and pocketbook issues as they try to stop their majorities from slipping away.
Why it matters: They aren't engaged in a full-scale revolt against President Trump, but some Republicans are testing new ways to distance themselves from him — a sign of their election anxiety.
Driving the news: Trump — facing a barrage of demands from Republican lawmakers to impose a ban on diesel exports — pulled a rare about-face Tuesday, saying on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York that he'll support a ban.
- Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), along with Iowa GOP Reps. Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, were among those calling for a ban to ease skyrocketing diesel costs for U.S. farmers and truckers.
- Sullivan and Hinson are in tight Senate races.
Just on Tuesday: Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) railed on the Senate floor at Trump's decision to host Chinese President Xi Jinping this week for a state dinner.
- Wicker urged Trump to "keep in mind that his guest is a brutal, unelected and oppressive dictator who seeks to dominate his neighbors and whose massive military arsenal is aimed directly" at the U.S.
- Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) called for the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee to subpoena Donald Trump Jr. over his foreign business dealings and the hundreds of thousands of dollars he allegedly received from a Russian oligarch for his wedding.
- "If your family's involved in the [presidency], then you ought to be very transparent," Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), a close Trump ally, told Axios last week when asked about the reporting on Trump Jr.'s wedding.
On Iran: The Senate is expected to vote this week on a war powers resolution. Leadership can't guarantee it won't get the Republican votes needed to pass.
- "We're constantly, of course, checking," Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said. "But I would hope that you know the team could hang together on this."
- The House passed a war powers resolution last week in a rebuke to Trump's military campaign against Tehran — with the most Republican support yet.
- Both Hinson and Michigan's Republican Senate candidate, former Rep. Mike Rogers, have called for the war to end.
On the trail: Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) told Trump his immigration crackdown has gone too far in a new campaign ad shot in front of the White House.
- "I think she's saying what a lot of my constituents are thinking," Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who lost his primary in May amid opposition from Trump, told Axios.
- In Iowa, Hinson recently skipped a rally put on by Vice President Vance.
- And Florida's GOP gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), deleted at least eight mentions of Trump from his campaign website, the Miami Herald reported.
The bottom line: Trump's approval ratings have hit record lows at the worst possible time for Republicans — and that's reflected in lawmakers' willingness to publicly challenge him.
- "Members are generally reflecting their base. If they really feel that way, they should say so," retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told reporters Tuesday of the GOP opposition to the Iran war.
- "And the administration should let these people be whoever they are to win the race."
