Fox News host Shannon Bream put Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton on the spot during a Fox News Sunday interview, questioning the Republican party’s unwavering support for Donald Trump, stating, “You’re all afraid of him.”
Persistent Support
Following Trump’s presidency, the Republican party continued to show strong support for him, exemplified by a failed Senate border deal.
Trump’s Opposition
The deal, a $118 billion foreign aid initiative including $20 billion for border security, was opposed by Trump, leading to its rejection by GOP senate lawmakers on Wednesday.
Political Move
Trump, the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination, opposes the deal, described by political analysts as a political move to capitalize on migrant issues against President Joe Biden for the upcoming November election.
Trump’s Influence
Shannon Bream indicated that the unsuccessful border deal demonstrated the significant influence Trump holds over Republicans in Congress.
Border Blame Game
The Fox News host said, “So, President Biden not only gets to blame you guys about the border, but he gets to blame President Trump, who he says tanked this whole deal, saying he wants to keep it alive as a campaign issue and that basically, he’s running the GOP at this point.”
Stronghold over GOP
During the interview, Bream cited a Politico article emphasizing Trump’s dominant hold on the GOP as described by Amy Tarkanian, a former Nevada Republican Party chair, “He’s got a stronghold.”
Mind-Boggling Control
Tarkanian added, “It’s not just on the Republican base, but also in the House. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s completely mind-boggling to me, the type of brainwashing that has been done.”
“You’re All Afraid of Him”
Bream, highlighting the Turmp’s dominance, remarked, “Critics say there’s no check on him within the GOP. You’re all afraid of him. You’ve endorsed him. What do you make of this argument that he’s essentially taken away your autonomy as a senator?”
Cotton Defends His Position
In response, Cotton disagreed with the notion of fear, arguing that the opposition to the border deal was aligned with the views of most Republicans and Arkansans, stressing the deal’s shortcomings and the necessity to address the border crisis effectively.
Shared Goal
Cotton expressed a shared goal among himself, the majority of Republican senators, and President Trump to halt the influx of migrants at the border.
Elect Trump Again
He explained, “The way to stop that crisis is to elect President Trump this fall. He did it once. He can do it again.”
Nevada Primary
Besides the Border deal, In Nevada, Trump’s allies urged Republicans to choose “none of these candidates” over Nikki Haley, his last remaining rival in the presidential primary, in Tuesday’s primary.
Crushing Defeat for Haley
This resulted in a crushing defeat for Haley, which, while purely symbolic, was intended to shame her for daring to challenge Trump.
RNC Chair to Stepdown
Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel also offered her resignation to Trump, responding to his desire for major “changes” within the RNC after the South Carolina primary on February 24.
More Resignations
Additionally, Mike Reed, the party’s chief of staff, is expected to resign from his position later this month.
New RNC Chair
Trump adviser Jason Miller shared on X that the former president recommended Michael Whatley, the North Carolina Republican chair, to replace McDaniel. Whatley has echoed Trump’s unfounded allegations of widespread election fraud.
Criticism and Accusations
Trump criticized the border deal as a “horrible open borders betrayal,” while President Biden and others accused him of prioritizing campaign issues over solving the border crisis.
Trump’s Influence Sparks Frustration
Connecticut Democrat Senator Chris Murphy, a key of the border deal, expressed frustration over Trump’s influence on the Republican Party.
“Most Outrageous Thing”
Murphy told NBC News, “This is the most outrageous thing that I have been a part of in my 16 years in Congress…We’ve learned that Trump is fully and completely in charge of the party, and they are rudderless otherwise.”
Senate Advances Foreign Aid Package
Following the unsuccessful border vote, the Senate proceeded with a $95.34 billion foreign aid package, excluding the contentious border security measures, focusing on support for Ukraine, Israel, and Indo-Pacific allies. Majority Leader Schumer expressed hope for a bipartisan agreement on amendments.
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