Senior Senate Republicans are expressing their frustration as former President Donald Trump’s opposition threatens to derail a bipartisan deal on the southern border. This situation not only deprives them of a significant legislative achievement but also provides a glimpse into the potential challenges they may face with Trump as their likely presidential nominee.
Trump has been lobbying Republicans to oppose the border compromise being carefully negotiated in the Senate, according to GOP sources. His opposition is partly driven by his desire to use the issue as a campaign platform in the upcoming November elections and to prevent President Joe Biden from gaining a political victory in an area where he is vulnerable.
Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell privately acknowledged on Wednesday that Trump’s opposition to the yet-to-be-released border deal puts Republicans in a difficult position as they attempt to address the already complex issue. McConnell, a chief advocate for a border-Ukraine package, expressed concern that Trump’s opposition could jeopardize the bipartisan proposal.
Republicans on Capitol Hill are now grappling with the reality that most in the GOP are reluctant to do anything that could potentially undermine the former president. This has led to increased tensions and confusion within the Senate GOP as they try to determine their next steps.
Despite the challenges, McConnell reaffirmed his support for the effort to strike a deal during party lunches on Thursday, according to attendees.
However, GOP Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, an outspoken critic of Trump, expressed his disappointment with Trump’s strategy. He emphasized the urgency of the border crisis and criticized Trump’s apparent preference for political gain over problem-solving.
Similarly, GOP Sen. Todd Young of Indiana described any efforts to disrupt the ongoing negotiations as “tragic” and expressed hope that the negotiations would continue without interference.
Trump’s opposition to the deal is reminiscent of his time in office, where he could easily disrupt legislative action with a single tweet or stir up a new controversy that Republicans were forced to respond to. With Trump now potentially heading towards the presidential nomination, Republicans are once again bracing for life with him as the nominee.
One GOP senator, speaking on condition of anonymity, told CNN that without Trump’s interference, the deal would have had overwhelming support within the conference.
Despite the challenges, some Republicans, including GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, believe that passing a border security deal could ultimately benefit Trump by addressing the flow of migrants trying to enter the country.
McConnell, who has had no relationship with Trump since the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, downplayed Trump’s opposition and insisted that they were not abandoning the talks.
However, the status of the border talks remains unclear. A senior leadership aide to House GOP Leader Steve Scalise told a group of Senate Republican chiefs of staff on Thursday that the deal was dead on arrival in the House, according to a source familiar with the matter.
This is the second time in six years that Trump has killed or actively tried to kill a bipartisan immigration deal. Back in 2018, a similar situation occurred with bipartisan talks over the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, one of the Democrats involved in the border talks, expressed frustration about Trump’s attempts to inject chaos into the situation. He urged Republicans to make a decision quickly, stating that an agreement that is 95% written is ready to be presented if Republicans decide to solve the problem.
This story has been updated with additional developments.