Trump and Cassidy had testy exchange during meeting with GOP senators, sources say

[0:00] Speaking of Congress, President Trump met privately with Senate Republicans after a stunning decision this morning to cancel the signing ceremony for a bipartisan housing bill. [0:11] We picked things up there with Torian Small, who helped us diagnose the soap opera between Trump and the Senate Republicans that, if you're in a particularly flippant mood, and I just very well might be, be called the old and the restless. [0:26] Torian, take it away. [0:28] Major, quite the chaotic day, and at the center of it all is President Trump. [0:34] He was here on the Hill initially to sign that bipartisan landmark housing bill that would have, among other things, put a cap on private equity's ability to purchase single-family homes. [0:49] A pretty big win across the aisle, and we saw some strange bedfellows really coming forth to support this. [0:55] The president decided, that's not good enough. Put that to the side. [0:59] I want to push my national voter ID law, the Save America Act. [1:03] He took that to this closed-door GOP Senate lunch, and that's where the fireworks happened. [1:09] There was one particular moment that we all have been talking about since that meeting ended with Senator Bill Cassidy. [1:16] He was the senator that President Trump successfully primaried, and they had to go at it. [1:21] He asked many of those Republicans in the room why they would support the Iran war powers resolution that passed this week. [1:27] He stood up and said, if you really want to know, it's because not too many Americans understand what's your plan, what's the goal with this. [1:34] And that led to a pretty heated debate with the president. [1:38] In fact, it was a screaming match, according to the senator himself. [1:42] He said that the president at one point rubbed salt in the wound by bringing up the fact that he lost his re-election bid. [1:48] And then ultimately, he said that it came down to a situation where he felt he was being bullied by the president. [1:54] Take a listen to Senator Cassidy. We caught up with him earlier today. [1:56] The president didn't want to hear my question. Interrupted me. I didn't care to be interrupted. [2:04] I felt like I was trying to get answers for the American people. [2:06] And I'm not going to be bullied when I'm trying to get answers for the American people. [2:10] And so it escalated from there. At some point, it de-escalated. [2:16] This is notable because this signing ceremony is just another example, recent example, [2:22] of President Trump flexing his power and influence over Congress in a pretty humiliating fashion. [2:28] Just a week ago, he canceled the confirmation hearing of Jay Clayton, his pick to lead the intel community, [2:36] something that Senate Republicans were looking to push through quickly, [2:40] along with the help of Democrats, because they were unsatisfied with his acting DNI. [2:45] But ultimately, the president said, no, I want to ensure that the Save America Act is top of mind [2:52] for all of these lawmakers. And he's willing to, you know, hamper some of their operator modem [3:01] in order for that to happen. [3:04] And before I go to Nicole Killian, I just want to read something from the Associated Press that was posted this morning [3:10] that might have something to do whether the president became suddenly obsessed. [3:13] He's been really obsessed, but suddenly obsessed with the Save America Act, so-called a voter ID law. [3:19] Let me read. [3:20] Federal judge on Wednesday permanently barred President Donald Trump's administration [3:24] from implementing most of his first executive order on elections, [3:28] part of which sought to require people to show documentary proof of citizenship when they registered to vote, [3:33] meaning his executive order has been nullified permanently. [3:36] Nicole Killian joins me now from the White House on that and other matters. [3:41] Nicole. [3:41] Yeah, that's right. [3:43] In fact, the president just wrapped up a press avail with the head of NATO, Mark Rutte. [3:48] But he did take a number of questions, as did Rutte. [3:51] But, of course, the president responding to a range of questions from foreign policy to that very topic that you mentioned, [3:58] the Save Act or Save America Act, which he continued to champion, [4:02] saying that this is about voter ID, proof of citizenship, again, repeating false claims that the election was rigged. [4:08] But that is his rationale for pushing this in Congress, even though Majority Leader John Thune has made clear time and again that the votes simply aren't there. [4:18] That being said, that was really not the focus of this press avail with Rutte. [4:23] It was really just about reaffirming ties between the United States and NATO. [4:29] We know that the president at times has been critical of the NATO alliance, especially some member countries. [4:35] He's accused them of not paying their fair share. [4:37] So that did come up in this avail with Rutte, the president saying that he's very disappointed in a number of European countries. [4:43] But Rutte coming to their defense, saying that, yes, it's a mixed bag, but this alliance is still strong. [4:49] Rutte also defending, you know, the president's approach with respect to the war with Iran and this newly inked deal or memorandum of understanding, [4:59] saying that many European countries are championing what the president is doing because, at the end of the day, this is about degrading Iran's nuclear capability. [5:08] He actually did – I wouldn't call it a PowerPoint presentation, but he did put up a number of signs explaining just the impact that this is having with respect to a number of European countries in terms of their economy [5:21] and why this was an important step for the president to take. [5:25] Additionally, the two leaders certainly talked about an upcoming summit in Turkey. [5:29] The president also taking questions about that very contentious meeting that the president had on Capitol Hill that you just discussed with Torian. [5:36] But the president also referencing that it was quite a tense meeting and criticizing some of those Republicans, [5:42] particularly those who supported that Iran war powers resolution yesterday, barring further military action in Iran without congressional approval, Major. [5:53] Yes, the president takes a very dim attitude to Republicans in any way voting to restrain his war-making powers. [5:59] Nicole Killian, thank you very much.