GOP Senators Interrupt Trump’s Family Dinner To Change His Mind On Emergency

Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham leaves Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Courthouse after testifying on behalf of Sen. Bob Menendez, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham leaves Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Courthouse after testifying on behalf of Sen. Bob Menendez, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, in Newark, N.J. Menendez is on trial for bribery. (AP P... Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham leaves Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Courthouse after testifying on behalf of Sen. Bob Menendez, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, in Newark, N.J. Menendez is on trial for bribery. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ben Sasse (R-NE) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) busted in on President Donald Trump’s family dinner in his private residence Wednesday night to craft a last-minute out for Trump as a bicameral rebuke on his national emergency declaration becomes more and more likely.

According to a Thursday Washington Post report, they pushed an 11th hour proposal to give senators a way to vote for the emergency declaration and also take a stand on what is being perceived as presidential overreach.

A White House lawyer was hauled in to explain why the proposal wouldn’t work. Trump reportedly ended the exchange irritated and surly and began Thursday morning with a new veto threat on Twitter.

According to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Vice President Mike Pence and White House staff had already told Republicans to give up, that Trump was not going to participate in any move that would limit his own power. Nevertheless, the senators persisted.

With Sen. Mike Lee’s (R-UT) last-minute effort to give the President some cover in the garbage, a rejection in the Senate and Trump’s first presidential veto seem to be on the docket.

Latest News
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: