{"id":731,"date":"2026-06-04T21:11:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T21:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trustedmovinggroups.com\/?p=731"},"modified":"2026-06-04T21:11:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T21:11:13","slug":"cracks-emerge-in-gop-support-for-trumps-agenda-from-the-politics-desk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trustedmovinggroups.com\/?p=731","title":{"rendered":"Cracks emerge in GOP support for Trump\u2019s agenda: From the Politics Desk"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Welcome to <\/em>From the Politics Desk<\/em>, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team\u2019s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more \u2018The Odyssey\u2019 ticket rush overwhelms AMC website and app<\/a><\/p>\n

In today\u2019s edition, Jonathan Allen explores how congressional Republicans are starting to push back on some of President Donald Trump\u2019s wishes. Plus, Matt Dixon and Scott Wong dive into a Florida redistricting-fueled clash among Democrats. <\/em><\/p>\n

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Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2014 Adam Wollner<\/em><\/p>\n

Cracks emerge in GOP support for Trump\u2019s agenda<\/h2>\n

Analysis by Jonathan Allen<\/h3>\n

Republicans on Capitol Hill aren\u2019t in full-on rebellion, but they are finding it easier to push back on the once immovable force in the Oval Office. <\/p>\n

The House passed a resolution this week calling for President Donald Trump<\/strong> to withdraw U.S. forces involved in the Iran war, with the support of four Republicans. Some Senate Republicans have balked at two of his recent marquee plans for taxpayer money: one for an \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund in which he settled with his own Justice Department to pay for the legal expenses of people he believes were unjustly prosecuted, and one for the White House ballroom that he initially said would be privately financed.<\/p>\n

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And he\u2019s even having trouble with what is ordinarily the easiest partisan ask of the Senate: to confirm his nominees. Senators are pushing back on Trump\u2019s picks of Bill Pulte<\/strong> for national intelligence director and Todd Blanche<\/strong> for attorney general.<\/p>\n

This is what happens when an embattled president keeps his foot on the gas for an unpopular agenda with midterm elections approaching. Trump can still get the lion\u2019s share of Republicans to stick with him on most issues, but he can\u2019t expect that kind of loyalty from lawmakers in swing races, those who are retiring or, especially, those he has endorsed against in their primaries. <\/p>\n

Sens. Susan Collins<\/strong>, R-Maine, Jon Husted<\/strong>, R-Ohio and Dan Sullivan<\/strong>, R-Alaska, who face tough re-election races this fall, all voted with Democrats this week on an amendment that would have banned the administration from deploying the \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund. The amendment failed, but others are looking for a similar legislative fix \u2014 even after Blanche, currently the acting attorney general, testified that the administration would abandon the proposal \u2014 including Sen. Thom Tillis<\/strong>, R-N.C., who is not seeking re-election after clashing with Trump on a variety of issues.<\/p>\n

Two of the four House Republicans who voted to halt the Iran war are in highly competitive re-election battles: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick<\/strong> of Pennsylvania and Tom Barrett<\/strong> of Michigan. A third, Rep. Thomas Massie<\/strong>, of Kentucky, who has long been critical of Trump on a host of issues, was defeated in his primary last month after Trump blasted him repeatedly in public and endorsed his opponent.<\/p>\n

The White House ballroom funding was so objectionable to Senate Republicans that they dropped it from a budget bill \u2014 and quietly sighed their collective relief \u2014 when the parliamentarian concluded it didn\u2019t pass muster with the chamber\u2019s rules. <\/p>\n

Even Trump\u2019s most powerful weapon for maintaining party discipline \u2014 using endorsements in primaries as a reward or punishment \u2014 looked a little rusty this week.<\/p>\n

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Late in the game, he threw his weight behind Rep. Randy Feenstra<\/strong> in the Republican primary for Iowa governor. It looked like a good bet to pay off, with Feenstra locked in a close race against conservative businessman Zach Lahn<\/strong>. The endorsement was a positive for Feenstra, according to a person close to Lahn, but it didn\u2019t move the numbers enough to save him.<\/p>\n

It was the first time in this election cycle that a Trump-backed candidate lost a primary for a House seat, a Senate seat or a governorship. <\/p>\n

Trump can still do plenty of damage to Republicans who defy him \u2014 the base remains his \u2014 but he can\u2019t do as much to help them win. So, unless and until he pays more attention to the politics of his decisions, he can expect more defections.<\/p>\n

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By Jane Lytvynenko and Ben Goggin<\/h3>\n

The revelation that Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner<\/strong> had an account on the platform Kik has thrust the largely anonymous messaging app into the national spotlight.<\/p>\n

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Keep reading \u2192<\/strong><\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcc9 More for subscribers:<\/strong> Kevin O\u2019Leary says he will shrink his Utah AI data center project after political backlash, by Jared Perlo<\/p>\n

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz faces backlash for running in a district long represented by Black Democrats<\/h2>\n

By Matt Dixon and Scott Wong<\/h3>\n

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz<\/strong> faces significant pushback from Black Democrats after she decided to run in a newly redrawn district in South Florida that has a plurality of Black voters and a crowded primary field.<\/p>\n

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The Florida political landscape was scrambled after GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis <\/strong>signed legislation last month creating a new congressional map. Instead of running in the 22nd District, where she lives, Wasserman Schultz opted to run in the more Democratic-leaning 20th District, which has long been represented by a Black Democrat.<\/p>\n

The move has angered Black leaders and candidates in the district, especially when Republicans have tried to wipe out districts long held by Black Democrats after a recent Supreme Court decision that limits the consideration of race in redistricting.<\/p>\n

Four Black candidates running in the primary have even discussed coalescing around one or two candidates to take on Wasserman Schultz rather than split the Black vote, according to one of the participants in the meeting.<\/p>\n

Wasserman Schultz, an 11-term incumbent and former chair of the Democratic National Committee, announced her decision last month, saying she wanted to ensure her seniority would not be lost.<\/p>\n

She argued that if Democrats take control of the House, she would be in line to chair a key committee, which would be good for the district. <\/p>\n

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\u201cYou have always been able to count on me to deliver results for our community,\u201d she said in a video announcing her decision to run, which emphasized her \u201cseniority\u201d and \u201cclout.\u201d <\/p>\n

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries<\/strong>, D-N.Y., who would be in line to become the first Black speaker if Democrats take control of the House in November, told reporters Tuesday that he has not yet decided whether he is endorsing in the race. <\/p>\n

\u201cHaven\u2019t made a decision as it relates to that particular race,\u201d said Jeffries, who normally, as caucus leader, would be expected to support an incumbent.<\/p>\n

Read more \u2192<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\ud83d\uddde\ufe0f Today’s other top stories<\/h2>\n