Senate Republicans grow increasingly frustrated with Trump blindsiding them

CongressSenate Republicans grow increasingly frustrated with Trump blindsiding themTrump has used his clout to knock out senators in primaries, issue unachievable demands and force them into politically fraught positions. Some say it’s harming his own agenda.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleSenate postpones hearing for DNI nominee Clayton after Trump tells him not to show up03:00Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJune 17, 2026, 7:04 PM EDTBy Melanie Zanona, Sahil Kapur and Brennan LeachWASHINGTON — As President Donald Trump scrambles to wrap up his war with Iran, he’s escalating another one much closer to home, against members of his own party in Congress. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.From the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in France, Trump ordered the Senate on Wednesday to cancel an afternoon hearing for Jay Clayton, his nominee to be director of national intelligence, and threatened not to sign a reauthorization of a critical surveillance law unless the Senate passed a sweeping election bill that has already failed — repeatedly.The hearing delay not only blindsided and frustrated Senate Republicans, but it also completely derailed Majority Leader John Thune’s carefully laid plans to fast-track the nomination in a bid to unlock Democratic votes for the now-expired spying program.Asked why Trump would pull the rug out from under them, Thune, R-S.D., said, “Good question.”The Clayton incident isn’t the first time in recent weeks Trump has made Thune’s life more difficult.Asked whether Trump and Senate Republicans are on different pages, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, replied, “It may not be so much a different page, but he’s turning it ahead without telling us about it.”The already fragile relationship is nearing a breaking point as Trump uses his clout to knock out senators in primaries, issue unachievable demands and repeatedly force t...