Senate

Trump takes on McConnell, Senate GOP on border package

by Alexander Bolton - 01/19/24 5:30 AM ET

Former President Trump is taking on Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his leadership team by calling on Republican lawmakers to reject a compromise on border security.

The runaway front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination is also setting up a crucial battle over both his party’s future and Ukraine, as precious aid to that country is tied to the border deal along with help for Israel and the Indo-Pacific.

Trump has said Republicans should say “no” to any deal that falls short of “everything needed” to stop the flow of migrants, a message that pointedly puts pressure on new Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to walk the line. Johnson has been under pressure from the Senate GOP and the White House to agree to an emerging Senate deal.

Members of McConnell’s leadership team immediately pushed back against what appeared to be an attempt by Trump to tank the Senate deal.

“It’s not helpful,” said Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2-ranking Senate GOP leader.

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) addresses reporters during a press conference on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 to discuss immigration parole as a deal to broaden funding for border security is being worked on in the Senate. (Greg Nash)

Thune argued the Senate’s Ukraine package is the best chance Republicans have to staunch the flow of migrants, which exceeded more than 300,000 people in December alone — an all-time monthly high.

“There are a number of pieces in there that are good, conservative border policies that we’ve been trying to get done for years,” he said.

Trump lashed out at the emerging Senate border deal in a post Thursday on Truth Social.

“I do not think we should do a Border Deal, at all, unless we get EVERYTHING needed to shut down the INVASION of Millions & Millions of people, many from parts unknown, into our once great, but soon to be great again, Country!” he wrote on his social media platform.

Trump appears to be aiming his pressure campaign on Johnson and House Republicans, who could kill any deal on Ukraine funding and border security that passes the Senate.

Johnson told Fox News on Wednesday that he “frequently” talks to Trump about the border crisis.

“President Trump is not wrong,” the Speaker told Fox News host Laura Ingraham. “He and I have been talking about this pretty frequently. I talked to him the night before last about the same subject.”

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Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), another member of McConnell’s leadership team and a leading Senate expert on immigration issues, said Trump’s call for Republicans to hold out for “everything needed” is out of step with political reality.

“I would love for that to be possible,” he said of the prospect of Republicans getting everything they want in a border deal.

“But the reality we’re working with is we need to get enough votes in the House, the Senate and a presidential signature,” Cornyn said, pointing out that any border security deal needs to be a compromise that gets Democratic votes.

He argued that the Senate package could “give President Trump in his next term additional tools with which to secure the border,” if he’s elected.

“I would think that would be something he would like,” he said.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) speaks to reporters as he leave the Capitol following a procedural vote regarding a nomination on Monday, January 8, 2024. (Greg Nash)

Republican senators think that Trump wants to deny President Biden a policy victory 10 months before the 2024 election — a victory on Trump’s signature issue of border security, no less.

But they think it would be a major policy and political mistake to miss an opportunity to reform the nation’s asylum laws and give the president greater expulsion authority to deter the flow of migrants from Central America.

They also warn that it would be a strategic disaster to abandon Ukraine in its war against Russia. They worry if Russian President Vladimir Putin wins in Ukraine, it will pose a serious threat to U.S. allies and economic interests in Europe.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) on Thursday balked at Trump’s demand that Republicans vote down any border security deal that doesn’t give them everything.

“I respectfully disagree with the president. He could not possibly see what we are negotiating,” he said.

He warned that Trump and other Republicans would be making a big political mistake if they quash a border security deal, given the new tools Biden and future presidents would receive under the Senate package to lower the flows of migrants.

“To lose this opportunity to get it passed into law I think is malpractice,” he said.

Tillis said failing to support Ukraine in its war against Russia would be another major mistake that would hurt U.S. interests for years into the future.

“We have to get money for Ukraine, or the same people [who oppose it] need to own this historically,” he said. “I’m going to be somebody that does everything I can to get Ukraine funded.

“If we fail, I want every single [opponent] to go on record as owning what I think will be one of the worst strategic decisions members of Congress will make in their careers,” he added.

McConnell is telling his Senate GOP colleagues that they have their best chance now to secure the border. He predicts that even if Republicans capture the White House and Senate and keep the House in November’s election, Democrats would block any efforts to move border security reform through the Senate in 2025 and beyond.

He believes Senate Democrats would have little incentive to agree to any reforms if shut out of power and would use the Senate rules to block legislation.

“One of the things I keep reminding my members is if we had a 100-percent Republican government — president, House, Senate — we would probably not get a single Democratic vote” for border security reform, McConnell said.

“This is a unique opportunity to accomplish something in divided government,” he said.

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) returns to his office after speaking on Senate Floor on Monday, December 18, 2023. (Greg Nash)

Thune echoed McConnell’s analysis that Republicans won’t be able to pass a stronger border security package next year, even if Trump wins the election.

“The Democrats will not give us anything close to this if we have to get 60 votes in the United States [Senate] in a Republican majority. We have a unique opportunity here,” he declared.

Trump has tried to block Biden from achieving legislative victories before.

In 2021, he tried to sabotage the bipartisan infrastructure bill that a group of Republicans and Democrats ultimately passed through the Senate that year, despite Trump’s interference.

And in 2022, he blasted a bipartisan bill to address gun violence in the aftermath of a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, as “the first step in the movement to TAKE YOUR GUNS AWAY.”

That bill also passed and became enacted into law, marking another major Biden accomplishment.

GOP lawmakers shrugged off Trump’s opposition to the bipartisan infrastructure and gun violence deals in the last Congress, but this year he may wield more influence over what gets done, given his strong relationships with House Republicans who are now in the majority.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), one of Trump’s closest allies in the Senate, predicted the deal on Ukraine funding and border security will falter in the House.

Tuberville said the deal needs only 10 Republican votes or so to pass the Senate but predicted: “It’s not going to pass the House anyway.”