President Donald Trump and Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy engaged in a heated exchange during a private meeting with Republican senators on Wednesday, stemming from Cassidy's vote on a war powers resolution that passed the Senate the previous day. The resolution, which aims to limit the president's ability to wage war against Iran but does not carry the force of law, saw four Republican senators, including Cassidy, vote with Democrats.
Multiple sources described the encounter as a shouting match. Senate Majority Leader John Thune reportedly intervened to de-escalate the situation, with other senators also attempting to ease tensions. At one point, Trump referred to Cassidy as a "lunatic," a description Cassidy did not dispute when questioned by ABC News.
Cassidy confirmed the exchange, stating that Trump questioned his vote on the war powers resolution. "He asked why would anybody vote for the War Powers Act? As he continued, I said, 'is that a rhetorical question, or would you like to really know?' He said, 'I'd like to know.' I stood and said, 'You have not told the American people what's going on. It was supposed to last four weeks. It's lasted four months. Our original objectives have not been achieved, and I want to know what's going on,'" Cassidy recounted.
Cassidy added that he lost his temper during the exchange, describing it as "the Irish in me." He stated that he matched Trump's tone and volume before another senator intervened. Cassidy asserted that he made no apologies for his stance, emphasizing his belief that the American people need more information regarding actions in Iran. He expressed that he would not be "bullied into silence" when advocating for transparency.
Trump was also reportedly displeased with Republican absences from the vote. He briefly addressed reporters after the meeting, calling it "really great" and stating that the party was "very proud" and "well unified," though he acknowledged not liking "a few people."
Cassidy, who was among the seven Republican senators to vote for Trump's impeachment during his first term, lost his primary re-election bid in May to a candidate Trump had supported. During the meeting, Cassidy indicated that Trump made a remark about his election loss.
The war powers resolution passed the Senate by a vote of 50-48, with the support of the four Republicans and two absent Republicans contributing to the outcome. The House of Representatives had previously passed the resolution earlier in the month.