The GOP is willing to stand behind the president who invaded their party on many inadvisable issues: wasteful spending on the southern border, trillions of dollars in added U.S. deficit spending to give tax breaks to the rich, and support for ending sanctions against their Russian donors, to name just a few.
Foreign policy, however, seems to be a bridge too far. The GOP-led Senate is preparing to take the power to dictate foreign policy and military operations away from the president, a jaw-dropping rebuke by the party of the current president. MSN reports that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said:
‘Power over foreign policy has shifted to the executive branch over the last 30 years. Many of us in the Senate want to start taking it back.’
More than two years into his administration, the disconnect between Trump and the GOP establishment on foreign policy has rarely been as stark. https://t.co/71MGhFAYGR
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) January 30, 2019
Trump’s Twitter attack on his more experienced intelligence operatives on Wednesday shocked the GOP. While these agencies’ leaders have tried to inform Trump that pulling troops from Syria is premature and Kim Jong Un will not be reigned in and his country denuclearized, Trump is ignoring them and insisting he knows better than they do.
The GOP is ready to respond with quick action in this area.
‘They plan to send Trump a stern admonishment by voting Thursday afternoon on an amendment sponsored by McConnell warning “the precipitous withdrawal” of U.S. forces from Syria and Afghanistan “could put at risk hard-won gains and United States national security.”
https://twitter.com/CBSEveningNews/status/1090825816282447873
Trump hires military generals as a point of pride to administration, but he refuses to listen to them or any of the other experts in a position to keep him briefed. Instead, he continues to insist that he alone knows what should happen and, despite the projected harms to the American people, pushes policies designed to meet his campaign promises. He was told during the campaigns and continues to be told now that those policies are not in the best interest of the country.
Trump stunned Republican senators Wednesday by lashing out at Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and CIA Director Gina Haspel after they contradicted some of his optimistic claims about the threats posed by North Korea and ISIS. The senior intelligence officials also angered Trump by testifying that Iran is in compliance with the nuclear treaty it signed with Western powers under the Obama administration.
The Intelligence people seem to be extremely passive and naive when it comes to the dangers of Iran. They are wrong! When I became President Iran was making trouble all over the Middle East, and beyond. Since ending the terrible Iran Nuclear Deal, they are MUCH different, but….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2019
….a source of potential danger and conflict. They are testing Rockets (last week) and more, and are coming very close to the edge. There economy is now crashing, which is the only thing holding them back. Be careful of Iran. Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2019
McConnell may be willing to shill to Trump in areas he previously admonished other presidents for, such as unnecessary spending, but Trump’s recent attacks on intelligence officials in a headlong race to recklessly pull troops from Syria or ease the vigilance on Kim Jong Un’s dictatorial regime in order brag about how well his negotiations with North Korea have gone have pushed even Trump’s worst shills over the edge.
‘Speaking on the Senate floor, McConnell said his amendment “simply re-emphasizes the expertise and counsel offered by experts who have served presidents of both parties,” a subtle rebuff of Trump’s tweets from earlier in the day mocking his intelligence advisers as “naive.”‘
…Time will tell what will happen with North Korea, but at the end of the previous administration, relationship was horrendous and very bad things were about to happen. Now a whole different story. I look forward to seeing Kim Jong Un shortly. Progress being made-big difference!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2019
Featured image screenshot via YouTube
