The Republican Party is starting to shift against Donald Trump as prominent party representatives show signs of tiring of the president, an analyst claimed Friday.
Some outspoken GOP members are not hiding disagreements with Trump, with Rep. Thomas Massie an outspoken critic. But now even staunch allies, particularly Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, are showing signs of strain and could break from him in the near future, Brian Karem wrote in Salon.
Johnson made a rare split from Trump earlier this year, saying the president’s crusade against Democratic Party members calling for military personnel to refuse illegal orders should not lead to prosecution.
“A line is crossed and it’s very serious when you have leaders here in the Senate and House effectively telling members of the military to defy orders,” said Johnson. “It’s a very dangerous gambit they were playing. Should they be sent to jail? Probably not, but we need to call it out as being wildly inappropriate.”
Karem wrote of Trump, “The man needs help. So far, the Republicans remain too scared to call his bluff, although House Speaker Mike Johnson is obviously getting sick of him. Tuesday, the two appeared jointly at a public event.
“After the president said a GOP member of Congress was terminally ill and would probably be dead before June, Johnson had to clean up Trump’s mess. All he could say is that the president said the quiet part out loud.
“Behind closed doors, most Republicans are done with the Donald,” Karem wrote.
“A few, like Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, are already speaking out. The question is now with the Republican leadership. How much longer will Johnson bend his knee? He has held his caucus together against all odds, considering their ineptitude and Trump’s.
“No one is predicting that Johnson will turn on the president — now. That’s a fever dream. But how much further will Trump go down the road of destruction before Johnson says ‘enough’? It’s an interesting question that is being whispered about on Capitol Hill.”
Johnson may not even be a part of the change, according to Republican Party insiders, with the potential loss of the House during the midterm elections potentially enough to turn the tide.
Karem added, “Most congressional Republicans feel the turn will come if they lose the House and Senate in the upcoming midterms.” And a White House source added, “It’s over one way or another after that.”
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