Inside Trump's Senate playbook

Per Axios, President Trump is deploying his familiar playbook with Senate Republicans: persuade them when he can, ignore them when convenient, and bully them when he feels like it. On Wednesday, he sent senior staff to lobby the Senate GOP lunch for a third reconciliation bill with SAVE Act elements. But by Thursday, he was declaring that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche doesn't need Senate confirmation and can serve indefinitely. And most visibly, Trump started the week demanding Majority Leader John Thune dismantle the filibuster, then publicly questioned whether Thune should stay in his job. Yet Cornyn and Tillis still blocked Blanche's nomination, standing their ground despite the pressure. Here's the catch: Trump has successfully orchestrated five hundred fifteen nominations through the GOP Senate already, a faster pace than his first term. With only a week until the August recess, GOP morale is deteriorating. Polls show Americans souring on Republicans, the MAGA base is furious over the SAVE Act, and legislative roadblocks are mounting. Trump still needs fifty votes for most bills, and he's showing no sign of easing the pressure on his own party. As one GOP senator told Axios, "when crazy becomes the norm, it feels pretty routine."

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