There’s a revolt against President Donald Trump brewing among Republican senators — and the list of those quietly talking about backstabbing the president includes some of the most unlikely conservative lawmakers.
Even Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Republican, is among those in talks to help overturn the president’s executive order on border security.
That’s according to The Hill, which reports that high-level talks have started among Republican insiders to make a statement against Trump’s border wall order.
In Cruz’s defense, he’s been one of the loudest voices in the demand for action on the U.S.-Mexico border. His EL CHAPO Act proposed paying for the wall’s construction without U.S. tax revenue, effectively making Mexico pay for the wall.
But Trump’s declaration of national security reportedly hasn’t sit well with many conservative lawmakers — and there’s talks about making a statement of protest by voting in a large block to overturn the White House’s executive order.
Up to 15 Republican senators, including moderate Republicans as well as “Sens. Jerry Moran (Kan.), Todd Young (Ind.), Mitt Romney (Utah), Ben Sasse (Neb.), Ted Cruz (Texas), Mike Lee (Utah) and Ron Johnson (Wis.), who all have expressed constitutional concerns in recent days” are in talks to side with Democrats, insiders tell The Hill.
Trump has threatened to veto any congressional rebuke of his executive order, which would then require the Democratic-controll House of Representatives to come up with 66 percent of support to overturn the veto.
It’s extremely unlikely Democrats could come up with that support, even with a large scale mutiny by Republicans.
Trump has expressed concern to Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., about wavering GOP support for his executive order.
“He says he thinks Republicans are playing with fire here because most Republicans — anyway, most people I hope — will see that the border is in a state of crisis,” Graham said to Politico.
GOP senators that defy Trump are likely to face a political backlash, the president reportedly told Graham.
“That’s his observation, but he’s not out there calling people out or anything,” Graham said.