Republicans are privately sick of Trump burning them on immigration
![Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan break ground on a Chinese factory in Wisconsin](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eRVkS7r6KtQritpAvTspy7-415-80.jpg)
Cutting Social Security and Medicare benefits used to be the "third rail" of U.S. politics — touch it and you get burned — but "the new third rail in Republican politics is criticizing [President] Trump," Washington Examiner correspondent David Drucker writes at Vanity Fair. Off the record, however, "Republicans believe Trump is bungling an opportunity to capitalize on his unrivaled street cred with the conservative grassroots to create the political space for the Republican-controlled House of Representatives to overhaul a significant portion of the nation's outdated — horrible, a joke, the president might say — immigration laws."
The inability or unwillingness of Trump, "perhaps the most hardline anti-immigration voice in a generation" and a self-professed dealmaking maven, to make a concerted push for his party to constrict America's immigration laws is "one of the more curious aspects" of Trump's presidency, Drucker writes. And unless Trump "radically" changes his approach to "overcome the complete lack of trust on Capitol Hill" he has engendered, that won't change, he adds:
With the proper assurances, Trump could soothe his base, bring Fox News in line, and give conservative lawmakers cover to pass a bill. But congressional Republicans have no faith that Trump won't betray them if they stick their necks out for him. Who's to say they won't deliver him a bill that protects the Dreamers — one of Trump's four pillars — only to have the president complain afterward that he never really wanted to sign a bill with an "amnesty" provision but was forced into it by those wimpy Republicans in Congress? ... "The House guys are tired of getting burned," said a Republican who has advised both moderate and conservative members on immigration. "No one can ever be sure what his priority is going to be the next day." [Vanity Fair]
You can read more about Trump and the GOP's internal war over immigration at Vanity Fair.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Twisters review: 'warm-blooded' film explores dangerous weather
The Week Recommends The film, focusing on 'tornado wranglers', stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell
By The Week UK Published
-
The US presidents who decided not to run for a second term
The Explainer Joe Biden's decision to end his re-election campaign was shocking, but there's a long history of presidents who've bowed out on a chance at four more years
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - July 25, 2024
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - a new forecast, an old bumper sticker, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Menendez convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion
Speed Read The New Jersey Democratic Senator was found guilty in a federal corruption trial
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida judge dismisses Trump documents case
Speed Read Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas says military chief survived Israeli strike
Speed Read An Israeli bombing failed to hit its intended target, military commander Mohammed Deif, but killed at least 90 Palestinians
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
First Israeli report on Oct. 7 finds 'severe mistakes and errors' in IDF response
Speed Reads Israeli military admits failures in response to deadly Hamas attack that triggered Gaza war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Biden saw neurologist during physicals
Speed Read Following his bad debate performance, many are asking questions about the president's brain
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Russia bombs Kyiv children's hospital
Speed Reads The daytime barrage interrupted heart surgeries and killed at least 40 people
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published