The tension between President Trump and Republican senators reached a boiling point today during a closed-door GOP Senate lunch meeting.
According to reports, the president engaged in a heated exchange with Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who recently voted to limit Trump's war powers. The measure passed with a 50-48 margin, with four Republicans, including Cassidy, opposing the president.
Trump also criticized Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) for missing the vote on war powers, further escalating the tension in the room.
At one point, Cassidy stopped addressing Trump as "Mr. President" and referred to him as "brother," prompting Trump to fire back, calling Cassidy a "lunatic" and telling him he was not his brother.
Cassidy eventually sat down, but not before exchanging heated words with the president. When asked about the argument, Cassidy said he had lost his temper and made no apologies for standing up to the president in order to represent the American people.
Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) drew a colorful analogy when confronted about the Trump-Cassidy blowup, comparing it to a hospital board meeting where doctors yell at each other but ultimately find a way to work together.
The meeting also saw Trump urge Republican senators to use the "talking filibuster" to overcome Democratic opposition to the SAVE America Act, a measure that requires every American to show ID to cast a ballot and proof of citizenship before registering to vote.
