Trump clashes with Republican Senator over Iran conflict in closed-door meeting
Several Republican leaders present at the meeting told journalists that Trump was involved in a heated exchange with Senator Bill Cassidy, who questioned the administration's handling of the conflict.
US President Donald Trump faced sharp criticism over the Iran war during a closed-door meeting with Republican lawmakers on Wednesday (as per local time), amid growing political strain over the conflict and its mounting costs.
As per a report by news agency Reuters, several Republican leaders present at the meeting told journalists that Trump was involved in a heated exchange with Senator Bill Cassidy, who questioned the administration’s handling of the war and a recently signed framework agreement that reportedly offers financial incentives to Iran without meeting stated US objectives.
“The American people need to know more than we are being told,” Cassidy told reporters after the meeting, adding that it was unclear whether the war strategy was proceeding as originally outlined.
The confrontation marked an unusually public sign of friction within the Republican Party over the conflict, which has increasingly become a political burden for Trump ahead of upcoming elections that will determine control of Congress.
Public opinion appears to be shifting as well. A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that only one in four Americans believes the war has been worth its cost, while Trump’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest level since returning to office.
The exchange came a day after the Senate passed a largely symbolic resolution directing Trump to end the war, with Cassidy among a small group of Republicans joining Democrats in support.
In reaction, the Republican Senators scheduled a late-night vote on Wednesday to block the resolution. The move was largely perceived as an effort to please Trump.
Cassidy, who earlier voted in favour of the previous resolution, voted against the newly introduced proposal this time. Overall, the Senate voted by 50-47 in favour of this motion.
The late-night vote, however, did not please Trump, as he said that the move could be interpreted as an internal weakness of the United States by Iran. He also did not address the tussle with Cassidy.
Hours after the political clash, the White House administration submitted a request to Congress for $70 billion in additional war funding, on top of the existing $867 billion defence budget, further intensifying debate over the financial and strategic direction of the conflict.
US President Donald Trump faced sharp criticism over the Iran war during a closed-door meeting with Republican lawmakers on Wednesday (as per local time), amid growing political strain over the conflict and its mounting costs.
As per a report by news agency Reuters, several Republican leaders present at the meeting told journalists that Trump was involved in a heated exchange with Senator Bill Cassidy, who questioned the administration’s handling of the war and a recently signed framework agreement that reportedly offers financial incentives to Iran without meeting stated US objectives.
“The American people need to know more than we are being told,” Cassidy told reporters after the meeting, adding that it was unclear whether the war strategy was proceeding as originally outlined.
The confrontation marked an unusually public sign of friction within the Republican Party over the conflict, which has increasingly become a political burden for Trump ahead of upcoming elections that will determine control of Congress.
Public opinion appears to be shifting as well. A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that only one in four Americans believes the war has been worth its cost, while Trump’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest level since returning to office.
The exchange came a day after the Senate passed a largely symbolic resolution directing Trump to end the war, with Cassidy among a small group of Republicans joining Democrats in support.
In reaction, the Republican Senators scheduled a late-night vote on Wednesday to block the resolution. The move was largely perceived as an effort to please Trump.
Cassidy, who earlier voted in favour of the previous resolution, voted against the newly introduced proposal this time. Overall, the Senate voted by 50-47 in favour of this motion.
The late-night vote, however, did not please Trump, as he said that the move could be interpreted as an internal weakness of the United States by Iran. He also did not address the tussle with Cassidy.
Hours after the political clash, the White House administration submitted a request to Congress for $70 billion in additional war funding, on top of the existing $867 billion defence budget, further intensifying debate over the financial and strategic direction of the conflict.
