“What was a bit surprising was the length and strength of Trump’s criticisms of his fellow Republicans.”
The past few weeks have probably been the toughest weeks for President Donald Trump. Unless you’ve just woken from a coma. you already know that Trump riled up critics and allies alike with his handling of the Charlottesville incidents. Beyond that, Trump has also suffered multiple high-level staff turnovers, tensions with North Korea, and a highly visible failure to repeal and replace Obamacare.
While Trump has put Democrats on blast in recent days, he’s also increasingly aiming his rage at the Republican Party itself. At his Phoenix rally the President had many harsh words for Republicans. Could Trump’s increasing rhetoric hint at future clashes between the GOP establishment and the Trump Administration? So far, it looks like President Trump is sending strong signals that he’s willing to take on his own party if they don’t fall in line. With a tough budget and several policy battles predicted to be looming for the rest of the year, this could signal contentious times ahead.
In Phoenix, Trump expounded for more than an hour, and frequently his tone and mannerisms suggested barely restrained anger. The mainstream media was a particular target of Trump’s rage, so too were Democrats and former President Obama. At one point, seemingly to Trump’s approval, rally attendees starting chanting “lock her up!” in reference for Hillary Clinton. Rally goers also called for Trump to “Drain the Swamp!”
None of the above is particularly surprising. What was a bit surprising was the length and strength of Trump’s criticisms of his fellow Republicans. Trump lambasted Arizona’s senators, but stopped just short of calling them out by name. However, Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake have emerged as perhaps the two biggest inner-party thorns for the President.
Trump noted, quite forcefully, that Obamacare repeal was only one vote away from passing. While a few Republicans rebelled on the bill, Trump was no doubt focusing on McCain, whose last minute, highly public “no” vote put the nail in the coffin for Republican efforts. The President and McCain have rarely gotten along, both while Trump has been in office, and during the 2016 election.
Trump also went after Arizona senator Jeff Flake. He didn’t mention Flake by name at the Phoenix rally, but did direct some comments his way, stating: “I will not mention any names ― very presidential. Very presidential, isn’t it? And nobody wants me to mention your other senator, who’s weak on the border.”
Perhaps more tellingly, just after the rally wrapped up, Trump took to Twitter to target Flake directly.
Phoenix crowd last night was amazing – a packed house. I love the Great State of Arizona. Not a fan of Jeff Flake, weak on crime & border!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 23, 2017
The backlash against Flake and McCain should come with little surprise. McCain backed out of supporting Trump on the campaign trail in October after lewd remarks made by Trump surfaced. Flake refused to support Trump from the get go, and even recently released a book that seems to be targeting the President.
The rally is over and done with, but Trump’s anger is still being felt across Washington D.C. With so many difficult legislative and policy battles likely to come to a head in the coming weeks, the year might finish out with a bang. Trump has remained committed to building up the wall between Mexico and the United States, but so far members of Congress have expressed little desire to pursue it. Trump is also eager for a major legislative win, and with health care reform seemingly dead, tax reform might be his best bet.
Does the President have the political clout to push through reform? We’re likely to find out in the coming weeks.
