President Donald Trump on a phone call with foreign leaders in the White House on August 13, 2020 (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian / Flickr)
President Donald Trump reportedly tore into a member of his own party after she voted against his administration earlier this week, according to a new report.
The Hill reported Friday that Trump was apparently "fuming" upon hearing that Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and four other Republicans were planning to vote with Democrats on a procedural motion to advance a war powers resolution this week. The five Republicans gave Democrats a narrow majority on legislation that, if passed, would block Trump from waging war in Venezuela.
Two of the Hill's sources anonymously confided to the publication that the president called Collins while the vote was underway. One source said Trump told Collins that her vote was inhibiting his ability to carry out his duties as commander-in-chief.
"He called her and then basically read her the riot act," an unnamed Senate Republican told the Hill, describing the call as a "profanity-laced rant."
"He was very mad about the vote,” the source added. "Very mad. Very hot."
Trump's call to Collins is particularly noteworthy given Collins' position as a Republican senator from a predominantly blue state. The Maine Republican is running for another six-year term this fall, and her race is projected to be close, with Democrats Janet Mills – the current governor of Maine — and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Graham Platner vying to unseat her in the state that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024 by seven points.
Former Maine Republican state lawmaker Mary Small told Politico on Friday that Trump's consistent attacks on Collins could jeopardize her ability to get reelected and potentially risk the GOP's small majority. Small said Collins' approval rating would likely be much higher among Maine voters if Trump wasn't so vocal in his criticism of her.
Click here to read the Hill's full report.