Trump’s Power Play Frustrates Republicans as GOP Tensions Rise

Trump is using his power more boldly, and Republicans are starting to feel the pressure.

[{"selector":"#anim-0d3245cb-5a9f-4bc6-ba60-b423af562473","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-57cca64e-6cd1-4c61-a402-c75bc2891d0b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.97653%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-776c1f21-3e55-4650-9ee8-80a8944d0607","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a7519e13-b0b3-4a1c-8d17-9e0996711c84","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 201.80672%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image credit: Google

Trump reportedly told critics, “I’m the president, not you,” sending a strong message to his own party.

[{"selector":"#anim-e8f5cb81-de66-4702-ab9c-a929492e6938","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ec8b1b7e-2055-402c-92b0-a9b1a7a98868","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.97653%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6774c4fe-3165-421a-a616-771663ce388c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-55642368-7ee6-409c-b286-610f0b652dff","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 201.80672%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24dd7a11-4ccb-42d8-9326-0ad75fd6decf [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.26831043321183%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Image credit: Google

That sharp response upset allies and added to growing frustration among top Republican leaders.

[{"selector":"#anim-d64235f2-0eb5-44d2-ab6c-a93184ebb421","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eebc65d2-5b7c-41ba-9f0d-4202c0c6b163","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.97653%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b0fbbcd2-44f6-4e54-bb7f-6926dc7199ab","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1cbb8eda-07bb-43d9-87ce-1632e5b45bac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 201.80672%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5d56bcb8-5cfd-4bb0-b1cd-60502e699efc [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.249999886225726%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Image credit: Google

Trump’s early Iran deal became a major flashpoint and angered several Republicans.

[{"selector":"#anim-75ff992c-acf9-4abe-8446-d4c1066ad0d5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e924396-7e11-4a28-a3a1-d485d23d6e53","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.97653%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e41258cc-5d50-41e5-9e06-ab529acc401a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d4d3d4c5-1a5a-4d89-b709-db4196ada30f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 201.80672%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-44882ccd-fd8a-443a-aa6b-cd23b1b430f6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.249999886225726%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Image credit: Google

Trump still leads the party, but some Republicans now wonder if he’s becoming a bigger political risk.

[{"selector":"#anim-c04aae90-7668-46f4-8b92-e689f6b6f5f5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-579ba989-1c41-463c-bc85-e923bb7ebc0b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.97653%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3e1666c-aa98-4a56-9f7f-e3438aeace11","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79f25f66-31eb-4aa3-99ce-87e9a107a992","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 201.80672%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-93287fd3-e072-446a-826a-a2feb56a9b0f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.479779299384724%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Image credit: Google

Some Republicans feared Trump gave away too much without getting enough in return.

[{"selector":"#anim-b8a953db-f797-4c71-9c44-ef6fed98ef11","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e0a82389-52b2-46cf-bd9b-45861fc93aa1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.97653%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fc4b9620-a35c-453a-97c4-cccbab98fe5a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1a2d7247-c65c-4db8-83bb-dc6156d29dde","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 201.80672%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-de6c7a56-d49b-48c7-a8c2-c37268db8482 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(29.963235172535335%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Image credit: Google

Republicans now fear Trump’s decisions could hurt the party’s chances in the next elections

[{"selector":"#anim-0f2f9cfb-4c82-401f-b987-4e1408f284cd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-61278b3e-0931-418f-b1dc-d1c60911d27a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.97653%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9f6aacbd-e3e7-4191-8660-47dc69ced938","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f5d37090-2c73-4a07-ad00-8ad3ea9c4c9e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 201.80672%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image credit: Google