President Donald Trump was openly rebuked by Republicans this past week on several fronts, and in such an open manner that one analyst argued GOP lawmakers are already eyeing “life after Trump.”
Journalist and CNN host Manu Raju asked a panel of experts on his “Inside Politics Sunday” show whether Trump was “losing grip” on the Republican Party, citing several recent instances of the president being openly defied by GOP lawmakers.
New York Times correspondent Carl Hulse said that he believed there were already clear signs that GOP lawmakers are looking ahead to a post-Trump Republican Party, and looking to remain relevant in a post-Trump political landscape.
“I think Republicans [are saying] 'hey, there's gonna be life after Trump and we want to be a participant in it,’” Hulse said.
Just this past week, Indiana Republican state lawmakers rejected Trump’s push for them to redraw their congressional districts, the House – controlled by the GOP – blocked Trump’s attempt to strip federal workers of bargaining rights, and 12 House Republicans tried to force a vote on extending Obamacare subsidies, among other examples.
Appearing to play devil’s advocate, Raju noted that the party in power tends to see pushback “every midterm cycle,” to which Hulse agreed, but with one important caveat.
“Right, but it's actually faster I think this time,” Hulse said.
“And one thing you didn't mention is blue slips – I know it's arcane, but there's a real issue in the Senate where the leadership is resisting big demands from President Trump to get rid of this blue slip and allow them to put his prosecutors in place. It's happening – he still is a super powerful figure, he's gonna be able to get his way, but it's just not quite as easy.”