How Trump 'bullied' 2 GOP senators 'into submission'

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) speaks during a press conference on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's abortion drug policies on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 14, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard

U.S. President Donald Trump was furious when, on January 8, five GOP senators — Kentucky's Rand Paul, Alaska's Lisa Murkowski, Maine's Susan Collins, Missouri's Josh Hawley, and Indiana's Todd Young — joined Senate Democrats in a War Powers Act resolution opposing military escalation in Venezuela. Trump railed against them relentlessly, saying that they "should be ashamed" and "should never be elected to office again."

But in a column published on Thursday, January 15, MS NOW's Steve Benen laments that two of them — Hawley and Young — have caved in to "bullying" from Trump.

"Three of the five GOP senators who voted with Democrats last week — Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky — stuck to their guns, but two did not," Benen observes. "Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri was the first to fold, announcing his reversal on Wednesday morning, and Indiana's Todd Young soon followed suit. It's worth appreciating why."

Benen continues, "Almost immediately after last week's vote, the president made no effort to hide his disgust…. In the days that followed, MS NOW confirmed that Trump called each member of the quintet, berating the GOP members who defied him. The president, as MS NOW's source summarized, was 'very upset, angry, yelling.' Trump was especially animated with Young, whose phone meeting with the president was 'very heated.' On Tuesday, during remarks in Detroit, Trump continued to target the senators who'd disappointed him, slamming Paul as a 'stone-cold loser' and describing Collins and Murkowski as 'disasters.'"

The MS NOW columnist and "Rachel Maddow Show" producer argues that Hawley and Young underscore Trump's ability to intimidate Republicans who disagree with him.

"Paul, Collins and Murkowski, however, followed through on their beliefs," Benen argues. "Hawley and Young reversed course under pressure…. Trump wasn't willing to tolerate any attempt to limit his authority in Venezuela — even if the Senate vote wouldn't have actually limited his authority in Venezuela — and so, he tried to scold Senate Republicans into submission. By surrendering, Hawley and Young sent an unsubtle reminder to the White House: Sometimes, with some people, bullying works."

Steve Benen's full MS NOW column is available at this link.

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