Trump 'at war with Senate Republicans' will need a favor from GOP lawmaker he betrayed
President Donald Trump's move to push out a longtime Republican ally could backfire — because he now needs his help, according to reports on Friday.Burgess Everett, Semafor congressional bureau chief, pointed out that as Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation as director of national intelligence, it has left three openings for the Trump administration to fill all while he navigates a more tense relationship with GOP lawmakers in the economic fallout over the Iran war, the White House ballroom funding and his controversial $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund."Upshot from Gabbard resigning: Trump now has three Cabinet vacancies (Labor, AG) while he's basically at war with Senate Republicans," Everett wrote in a post on X."And confirming a new DNI will require the votes of Sens. Collins and ... Cornyn in Senate Intelligence Committee, whom Trump just snubbed," Everett added.Interim leaders have been tapped to run the Labor Department and Justice Department until Trump names new nominees to the roles."Acting attorney general Todd Blanche faces a tough road to confirmation if Trump nominates him to a permanent role," according to a Semafor report."Any Gabbard replacement would have to get approval from the Senate Intelligence Committee, whose members include moderate Maine Sen. Susan Collins, who has voted against several Trump nominees and priorities, as well as Texas Sen. John Cornyn, recently snubbed by Trump in his primary. Gabbard’s successor would need both of their votes — and confirming her was a challenge to begin with at the peak of Trump’s power," Semafor reported.
