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GOP Senators Show Growing Unease With Trump as Midterms Approach
MLN — 20 JAN 2026: President Donald Trump’s declining approval ratings and a series of controversies early in his second term are straining his relationship with Republican senators, some of whom are increasingly looking to distance themselves from the president ahead of the November midterm elections.
Republican lawmakers have pushed back on the administration over issues including the possible deployment of troops to Venezuela, Trump’s refusal to rule out seizing Greenland, a criminal investigation involving Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, threats to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minneapolis, and a proposal to cap credit card fees.
One Republican senator, who requested anonymity to discuss internal party dynamics, said disagreements with Trump often become personal.
“He can’t handle any level of what he considers to be personal criticism,” the senator said. “You have people who don’t like the policy and feel like they have to stand up but the president makes it so personal they feel like they have nowhere else to go.”
The senator said Trump frequently responds to dissent by lashing out at lawmakers rather than addressing their policy concerns. According to a source familiar with the matter, Trump angrily confronted Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, in a lengthy phone call after she joined four other Republicans in supporting a resolution to block troop deployments to Venezuela without congressional approval.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., the lead Republican sponsor of the war powers resolution, said he tried to explain his position to the president.
“What I said to the president is this debate is bigger than me, it’s bigger than him. It’s about the Constitution and who has the prerogative to go to war,” Paul said.
With the start of the election year, Republican senators are weighing how closely to align with Trump as his economic approval rating has fallen to about 40 percent and his support among independents has dropped to roughly 30 percent, according to recent polling.
GOP strategist Vin Weber said uncertainty surrounding Trump’s decision-making is heightening anxiety within the party.
“Trump’s style is to keep people guessing and that’s worked very well for him,” Weber said. “But what you’re seeing with Republicans is increasing anxiety about what the end game is in all of these situations.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., acknowledged political, headwinds, last month, warning Republicans must sharpen their message ahead of the midterms.
Trump’s tensions with Congress were underscored Jan. 8, when five Senate Republicans voted with Democrats to advance the war powers resolution and House Republicans helped pass an extension of health insurance subsidies Trump opposed. Trump later called for the ouster of the dissenting GOP senators.
Former Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell warned last week that using military force to seize Greenland would, incinerate, NATO alliances and amount to an unprecedented act of strategic self-harm.
Senators have also expressed frustration at being caught off guard by administration decisions, including cuts to federal agencies and the investigation of the Fed chair.
“I left here last week, I didn’t know that capping credit card rates were going to be a priority,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said. “And I certainly didn’t know that the Fed chair was going to be indicted.”
