After vetoing bipartisan payments, President Trump says he does not wish to take care of Congress. Michel Martin asks Jessica Taylor of the Cook dinner Political Report about Trump’s relationship with lawmakers.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
On Monday, Congress returns to work and a brand new yr navigating its relationship with President Trump. Trump’s latest vetoes and his rejection of congressional enter on the assaults close to and in Venezuela increase questions on what this relationship goes to be going ahead. We known as Jessica Taylor to speak about this. She’s the Senate and governor’s editor on the Cook dinner Political Report. Welcome, good morning, and Blissful New Yr.
JESSICA TAYLOR: Blissful New Yr, Michel.
MARTIN: So let’s begin with these two vetoes – that water pipeline venture and a measure granting extra tribal management in a part of the Everglades. What message is the president sending?
TAYLOR: I feel he is saying that in the event you do not bend to my will, then there’s retribution on this. He can cite fiscal issues, however you take a look at simply his submit on Reality Social and issues, and because the earlier reporter outlined, , he is upset on the Democratic governor there in Colorado, Jared Polis. He desires Tina Peters, who’s a neighborhood election official, launched. He is tried to pardon her on a federal stage, however she’s in jail for state crimes associated to the 2020 election. She’s an election conspiracy theorist. You realize, you take a look at the Florida veto, and so they’ve – this tribe has opposed as a result of they are saying that the Alligator Alcatraz is on their lands and various things. And so he is saying that, , even issues which can be handed by a voice vote of Congress, to me, the query is whether or not leaders, together with Speaker Mike Johnson, who has been such a staunch Trump ally, will deliver this up for a veto override. Can they…
MARTIN: And that is my query to you. What do you suppose?
TAYLOR: It could be a notable break by Johnson. You realize, we have seen these Epstein recordsdata being dropped at the ground by a discharge petition when management did not wish to deliver them up. And so that you see members beginning to break, however we’ve not seen Speaker Johnson break in that very same regard. Now, we’ve got seen leaders within the Senate stand as much as President Trump. As an example, he is needed them to put off the filibuster, and Senate Chief John Thune has mentioned that is a nonstarter as a result of they understand that have been they within the minority, then that does away with essential protections.
So, , Trump desires to bend Congress to his will, however there are nonetheless – we’re seeing members, like Lauren Boebert, there which can be staunch allies stand as much as him. I imply, Marjorie Taylor Greene, that was once one among his greatest supporters, has come out in opposition to him, and now she’s leaving Congress consequently.
MARTIN: However – in order that’s my query, although. So she’s, like, I might suppose essentially the most high-profile one that has been a powerful supporter, broke with the president, however now she’s leaving. So what is the takeaway for Republicans in Congress? I imply, I additionally take into consideration Elise Stefanik, the New York congresswoman, who was in management. She was presupposed to develop into U.N. ambassador. Her nomination was pulled as a result of the president feared that there was this skinny…
TAYLOR: Proper.
MARTIN: …Margin, too skinny of a majority. She was presupposed to run for governor, and now she’s leaving, too. So what is the takeaway right here?
TAYLOR: The takeaway is that in the event you bug President Trump, then he will assist a main problem in opposition to you in that regard. That was Marjorie Taylor Greene. I imply, and Elise Stefanik wasn’t getting Trump’s endorsement, regardless of the fac that she reworked from – she used to work for Paul Ryan. She was positively not a MAGA individual originally, however she reworked. Trump’s loyalty is a one-way road, actually. That is what we see. You realize, I am additionally individuals like Thom Tillis within the Senate. You realize, he wasn’t going to again the One Large Stunning Invoice over a priority for Medicaid. Trump was going to assist a main problem to him, and he determined to retire as a substitute. And I feel, consequently, that seat is rather more susceptible for Republicans proper now.
MARTIN: Is there something that would change the dynamic between lawmakers and the president?
TAYLOR: I feel that Trump as we get nearer to the midterm election, he appears to be getting extra nervous concerning the very actual chance and I feel the probability of shedding the Home, at the very least, since you see what he is making an attempt to do in redistricting. However once more, we see state lawmakers in Indiana that stood as much as him that didn’t move that invoice, that he desires these items as a safety. However there is a very actual probability, I feel, that come this time subsequent yr, that there is going to be a Democratic Congress which can be going to levy their subpoena energy, have investigations and various things. I feel the Senate continues to be a lot tougher. However he desires to type of bend Congress as a lot to his will whereas it is a Republican majority. I feel he is aware of that the final two years of his time period might be actually tough if Democrats are in energy.
MARTIN: That is Jessica Taylor. She’s the Senate and governor’s editor with the Cook dinner Political Report. Jessica, thanks.
TAYLOR: Thanks, Michel.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
Copyright © 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site phrases of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional data.
Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts could differ. Transcript textual content could also be revised to appropriate errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org could also be edited after its unique broadcast or publication. The authoritative report of NPR’s programming is the audio report.
