Several Republican leaders present at the meeting told Reuters that Trump was involved in a heated exchange with Senator Bill Cassidy, who questioned the administration’s handling of the war and a recently signed framework agreement that reportedly offers financial incentives to Iran without meeting stated US objectives, News.Az reports, citing India Today.
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“The American people need to know more than we are being told,” Cassidy told reporters after the meeting, adding that it was unclear whether the war strategy was proceeding as originally outlined.
The confrontation marked an unusually public sign of friction within the Republican Party over the conflict, which has increasingly become a political burden for Trump ahead of upcoming elections that will determine control of Congress.
Public opinion appears to be shifting as well. A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that only one in four Americans believes the war has been worth its cost, while Trump’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest level since returning to office.
The exchange came a day after the Senate passed a largely symbolic resolution directing Trump to end the war, with Cassidy among a small group of Republicans joining Democrats in support.
Trump did not directly address the confrontation with Cassidy, but later dismissed the Senate vote, calling it meaningless’ and suggesting it could be interpreted as weakness by Iran.
Hours after the internal political clash, the administration submitted a request to Congress for $70 billion in additional war funding, on top of the existing $867 billion defence budget, further intensifying debate over the financial and strategic direction of the conflict.
