Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who failed to advance in Louisiana's GOP Senate primary in May, charged in a new interview that President Trump occasionally treats the legislative branch as little more than an afterthought. Speaking on CBS News's Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, Cassidy argued that the Senate is 'a separate body, separate from the presidency'—a principle he said Trump sometimes ignores.
'I think we're seeing that,' Cassidy said, when asked whether the president grasps the constitutional separation of powers. 'Sometimes he acts as if Congress is merely an appendage, and frankly, sometimes Congress acts like it's an appendage.'
The Louisiana senator, who voted to convict Trump after the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, has been at odds with the president for years. Their relationship exploded last week during a closed-door meeting at the Capitol, where Trump blew up at Cassidy after the senator accused the president of misleading the public about the Iran conflict. The exchange grew so intense that a nearby colleague had to physically pull Cassidy back into his seat.
The blowup followed the Senate's passage of a war powers resolution ordering Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from hostilities with Iran. Four Republicans, including Cassidy, backed the measure—a move that infuriated the president. Trump's frustration boiled over as he confronted Cassidy directly, underscoring the deepening rift between the White House and a handful of GOP lawmakers willing to buck the party line.
Cassidy's primary loss in May capped years of political fallout from his impeachment vote. He failed to make the runoff in Louisiana's all-Republican contest, effectively ending his Senate career. The episode has fueled broader questions about Trump's grip on the party and his willingness to punish dissent.
'Congress wants to be read in, and Congress has our rules and procedures that our Founding Fathers set up,' Cassidy told Brennan. 'They set it up precisely so that there would not be too powerful of an institution of a presidency designed to reflect all of the American people, not just the will of one person.'
The White House did not respond to a request for comment. The clash comes as Trump and GOP face a tight window to curb inflation before midterms, adding pressure on party unity. Some Republican senators have warned that Trump's economic disconnect risks midterm blowback, further complicating his relationship with Capitol Hill.
Cassidy's critique echoes a broader concern among some Republicans that Trump's governing style erodes congressional authority. The senator's remarks highlight the tension between a president who demands loyalty and a legislative branch that, at least in theory, is designed to check executive power.
