GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy takes digs at Trump, urging renewed unity in politics

Politics GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy takes digs at Trump, urges renewed unity in politics By Caitlin Yilek Caitlin Yilek Politics Reporter Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation. Read Full Bio Caitlin Yilek May 20, 2026 / 6:36 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Washington — Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who recently lost his primary after President Trump backed one of his opponents, took several digs at the president — without naming him — as he called for "a renewed sense of unity" in politics. "Americans are hungry for a politics that solves problems. To achieve this, loyalty must first be to country, Constitution, and fellow Americans, not to individuals," Cassidy wrote in an essay published Wednesday on X. Cassidy called for leaders who are "steady, not erratic" and "thoughtful, not impulsive." "Their words should lower the temperature rather than inflame division. Their actions should place the long-term interests of the country above short-term political or personal gain. Leadership is not using power to serve your own needs; it is using power to serve the needs of others. If someone does not understand this, they should not hold a position of leadership," he wrote. Mr. Trump lashed out at Cassidy — who was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict him in his impeachment trial after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol — ahead of Saturday's primary. Citing the impeachment vote, Mr. Trump called Cassidy a "disloyal disaster" and "sleazebag" as he urged voters to support his preferred candidate, Rep. Julia Letlow. Cassidy, a medical doctor, has also clashed with the administration over its vaccine policies and other health policies. Days after his primary defeat,...