Trump, Republican senators clash over Iran war, president’s refusal to sign housing bill

Article content

In the meeting, Trump pushed Thune to be a leader and force the voter ID measure through his chamber even if it meant scrapping longstanding rules, according to one of the people. Afterward, Trump told reporters that “for the most part we have a really well-unified party” but did not elaborate on the topics of conversation with senators.

Article content

“We like our leader, we like everybody really in the room, I don’t like a few people, but that’s OK. I think you know who they are,” Trump said.

Article content

There was “lots of unity, lots of love,” Senator Rand Paul, a Republican who in the past has sparred with Trump, sarcastically told reporters.

Article content

Despite the flare-up, Republicans in Congress remain largely behind the president. Senator Rick Scott, a Trump loyalist, said he was right to be frustrated with the war-powers vote.

Article content

“Well, I think if I was the president, I was in the middle of a negotiation to try to protect American lives, I would be frustrated too,” Scott said.

Article content

In practice, Trump’s move could end up as symbolic. The president has 10 days after the bill is presented to him to either sign or veto it, excluding Sundays, and if no action is taken, it becomes law. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that he believes that Trump will sign the bill before that period ends. Trump can sign the legislation regardless of whether lawmakers are in Washington or back in their districts.

Article content

Article content

Johnson plans to meet Trump on Thursday to work out path forward on their legislative agenda, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Article content

Traders largely shrugged off Trump’s threat. The S&P Composite 1500 Homebuilding index rose by the most in almost a year after Congress passed the sweeping bill and one of the largest players in the space — KB Home — reported earnings Tuesday that topped estimates. While the index slowed its rally after Trump delayed the signing of the bill, analysts still see it becoming law.

Article content

“A veto would be very bad for the GOP,” Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Nathan Dean said. “Republicans in Congress really need an affordability win, a veto would be disastrous for them.”

Article content

Still, the decision was just the latest front that Trump opened up against Senate Republicans, with whom he has battled over nominations, the war in Iran and his desire to pass the voting measure. Thune has previously said the votes don’t exist to break a filibuster and pass Trump’s voting bill. The provisions previously failed to pass as an amendment to a broader funding measure.

Article content

Article content

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and President Donald Trump speak to reporters on the way to a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol, on June 24, 2026. Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Article content

The “Save America” bill would impose nationwide requirements for Americans to show photo identification and present proof of US citizenship in order to vote.

Article content

Voters rank the high cost of living, exacerbated by a spike in fuel and housing prices, as their primary issue heading into midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. Housing costs skyrocketed in the wake of the pandemic and have remained high, even as mortgage rates more than doubled in recent years.

Article content

Top Republicans have repeatedly pleaded with Trump to focus more on economic messaging. The president’s opponents seized on Trump’s decision to delay the bill signing to accuse him of not caring about voters’ pocketbook concerns.

Article content

“We put together this bill, good for families everywhere, whether they’re Republicans or Democrats. And now Donald Trump acts like a petulant child,” Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, a co-sponsor of the bill, said Wednesday during a CNBC interview.

Article content

The housing bill would curb large institutional investors’ ownership of single-family homes, streamline rules around factory-built housing and encourage localities to remove barriers to construction in an attempt to bring more supply to the troubled housing market.

Article content

Retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis said it would ultimately be up to Trump to decide when the bill is signed. “We’ve done our work,” he said.

Article content

Article content