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MaddowBlog-GOP's Hawley, Young send an unsubtle signal to Trump: Bullying works
The president wasn’t willing to tolerate any attempt to limit his authority in Venezuela, so he tried to scold Republicans into submission. It worked.
By surrendering in response to Trump’s scoldings, Republican Sens. Josh Hawley and Todd Young sent an unsubtle reminder to the White House:
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-01-15T13:59:13.639Z
Sometimes, with some people, bullying works. www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/gops-hawley-young-send-an-unsubtle-signal-to-trump-bullying-works
The bipartisan breakthrough was, however, on a procedural vote. There was still one more Senate vote necessary to approve the resolution. If the 53 members who backed the measure last week stuck together, it would move to the House for consideration.
That didn’t happen. MS NOW reported:
Three of the five GOP senators who voted with Democrats last week — Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky — stuck to their guns, but two did not.....
In the days that followed, MS NOW confirmed that Trump called each member of the quintet, berating the GOP members who defied him. The president, as MS NOW’s source summarized, was “very upset, angry, yelling.” Trump was especially animated with Young, whose phone meeting with the president was “very heated.”....
But Trump wasn’t willing to tolerate any attempt to limit his authority in Venezuela — even if the Senate vote wouldn’t have actually limited his authority in Venezuela — and so he tried to scold Senate Republicans into submission.
By surrendering, Hawley and Young sent an unsubtle reminder to the White House: Sometimes, with some people, bullying works.
In floor remarks after the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asked, “Why wouldn’t our Republican colleagues just do what Congress is supposed to do, assert our authority, and say, ‘Let’s have a debate’? Let’s say, ‘If he’s going to go any further in Venezuela, he needs congressional approval.’”
The New York Democrat added, “What has happened tonight is a road map to another endless war, because this Senate, under Republican leadership, failed to assert its legitimate and needed authority.”
That didn’t happen. MS NOW reported:
On Wednesday, Senate Republicans approved a procedural gambit to block the Venezuela war powers resolution from getting a final vote, stopping the bipartisan effort dead in its tracks after it appeared headed for success.
The vote was 51-50, after Vice President JD Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday night to break a tie.
Three of the five GOP senators who voted with Democrats last week — Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky — stuck to their guns, but two did not.....
In the days that followed, MS NOW confirmed that Trump called each member of the quintet, berating the GOP members who defied him. The president, as MS NOW’s source summarized, was “very upset, angry, yelling.” Trump was especially animated with Young, whose phone meeting with the president was “very heated.”....
But Trump wasn’t willing to tolerate any attempt to limit his authority in Venezuela — even if the Senate vote wouldn’t have actually limited his authority in Venezuela — and so he tried to scold Senate Republicans into submission.
By surrendering, Hawley and Young sent an unsubtle reminder to the White House: Sometimes, with some people, bullying works.
In floor remarks after the vote, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asked, “Why wouldn’t our Republican colleagues just do what Congress is supposed to do, assert our authority, and say, ‘Let’s have a debate’? Let’s say, ‘If he’s going to go any further in Venezuela, he needs congressional approval.’”
The New York Democrat added, “What has happened tonight is a road map to another endless war, because this Senate, under Republican leadership, failed to assert its legitimate and needed authority.”