Trump's revenge politics comes back to haunt him

The Senate planned to consider a reconciliation bill to fund immigration enforcement, but Majority Leader John Thune sent the chamber home until June. The delay avoided Republican votes on Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” meant to compensate people targeted by the Biden Justice Department. Republicans also may have faced votes on security funding for Trump’s White House ballroom. Critics described the fund as a “slush fund,” with some calling it “stupid on stilts” and “tyranny.” Trump’s political retaliation efforts are worsening problems on Capitol Hill, including primary losses for Sen. Bill Cassidy and Rep. Thomas Massie after Trump-backed challengers. Thune acknowledged that presidential political activity is difficult to separate from legislative conditions, and a growing bloc of Republicans is emerging to oppose Trump.

"Just as the Senate was getting ready to take up a reconciliation bill Thursday to fund immigration enforcement, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) suddenly decided he would send the chamber home until June. The move spared Republicans from having to vote on Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" to compensate people his administration says were targeted by the Biden Justice Department. Republicans also might have been forced to vote on security funding for Trump's White House ballroom."

"The fund idea in particular was turning into a political debacle on the Hill - a "slush fund" to critics in both parties. "Stupid on stilts" and "tyranny" was how Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) described the idea to Spectrum News. "Somebody described it as a galactic blunder, and I think that's probably true," Sen. Ron Johnson told CNN."

"The intrigue: Trump's political vengeance campaign is only exacerbating his problems on Capitol Hill. On Saturday, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) lost a primary after Trump endorsed his opponent and attacked Cassidy relentlessly. A few days later, Trump flexed again when another critic, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), was defeated by another Trump-backed candidate. Trump this week also endorsed Sen. John Cornyn's Republican rival in the Texas primary, creating another GOP senator with nothing to lose."

"Thune acknowledged that the president's political activities aren't helping his legislative cause. "It's hard to divorce anything that happens here from what's happening in the political atmosphere around us," Thune said. "You can't disconnect those things." Between Cornyn, Cassidy and Tillis - plus Sens. Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins - a growing bloc of Senate Republicans is emerging to give Trump heartburn on a"

Read at Axios