'Complete disaster' as Senate Republicans fear party 'melting down before our eyes'

On Thursday, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with congressional Republicans in an attempt to woo their support for President Donald Trump’s much-criticized $1.8 billion “slush fund.” According to the latest reports, he failed, and now Republicans are heading home for the Memorial Day recess with no agreement.

Per Punchbowl News senior congressional reporter Andrew Desiderio, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) “told Senate Republicans at lunch that they’ll be sent home amid impasse over how to restrict ‘weaponization’ fund in reconciliation bill.” As Desiderio noted, this is “just a complete disaster for Republicans.”

He’s referring to a proposal that cash for the fund could be worked into a budget reconciliation bill Republicans hoped to have on Trump’s desk by Friday. While the budget is primarily for immigration and border enforcement, it does include $1.457 billion for the Department of Justice — the agency that would be responsible for disbursing the controversial fund — so the addition of the fund would more than double the amount allocated to the DOJ. But that isn’t going to happen, at least not before Congress breaks until June 1.

None of this bodes well for Republicans, who have erupted with infighting over several of Trump’s latest actions while facing major headwinds going into the November midterms.

According to a text message sent to Desiderio by a Republican Senator moments after the Blanche meeting broke, “Our majority is melting down before our eyes.”

“Many [Republicans] believe Trump has brought this upon himself,” noted Desiderio. “Creating more ‘free agents’ out of a selfish desire to purge [Republicans] not seen as loyal enough.” Shortly after that, a senior Senate Republican aide told him, “The problem that led to today’s breakdown is one of the administration’s own making, and it’s one they need to fix. Until then, there simply aren’t the votes to proceed.”

As Desiderio explained, “This was a reconciliation bill on a subject that unites Republicans — ICE and Border Patrol funding.” But Trump has shaken that unity.

“There’s a lot of frustration among Senate [Republicans] with [the administration] over the fund — and the decision to settle [and] announce this week right in the middle of the reconciliation push,” posted congressional reporter Laura Wiess shortly after talks broke down. “[Republicans] still need a lot of questions answered from DOJ, per a Senate GOP aide.”

According to Wiess, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) complained, “The White House dropped a bomb in the middle of a pretty well planned out reconciliation to deliver on President Trump’s priorities.”

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) seconded this assessment, saying that the administration had “put itself in this spot.” Reportedly, he told his fellow Republicans, “I’m not sure the fund should exist.”

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