There will be notable absences on Thursday when presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump meets with Senate Republicans in Washington, D.C., for the first time since leaving the White House.
Some centrist Republican senators who oppose the former president told the Washington Examiner they plan to skip the meeting due to unspecified scheduling conflicts, much to the chagrin of GOP leaders who are billing the event as a chance to build party unity heading into the election.
Notably, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will attend despite his frosty relationship with the former president and no contact between the two since before the 2021 Capitol riot.
“I said three years ago, right after the Capitol was attacked, that I would support our nominee, regardless of who it was, including him,” McConnell told reporters Wednesday. “I’ve said earlier this year I support him. He’s earned the nomination by the voters all across the country, and of course, I’ll be at the meeting tomorrow.”
McConnell endorsed Trump in March, a stunning reversal from previously blaming him for “disgraceful” acts on Jan. 6, 2021, and after Trump’s attacks against the senator’s wife, former Trump Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, that have been panned as racist.
Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) told the Washington Examiner they won’t attend because of busy schedules. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) said he won’t either because he has a flight to catch.
“I’ve got a conflict,” Murkowski said. “We just got the invite [Monday]. I’ve got a pretty crazy week. I’ve just got a lot going on.”
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) initially told the Washington Examiner he was undecided due to his schedule but later told reporters he was inclined to attend.
“I think he’s going to be the next president,” Cassidy said. “You got to work with the next president.”
Collins, Murkowski, Cassidy, and Romney are the remaining of the seven GOP senators who voted to convict Trump of impeachment over the Capitol riot. The other three have since retired from Congress.
Approached off the Senate floor by reporters, an aide accompanying Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), the former chairman of Senate Republicans’ campaign arm under Trump, said the senator would not be answering any questions related to the former president.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said he will “probably” attend.
The invite to Trump was extended by Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY) to discuss the GOP’s 2025 agenda.
“I believe it will be helpful to hear directly from President Trump about his plans for the summer and to also share our ideas for a strategic governing agenda in 2025,” Barrasso wrote in an email invitation to GOP colleagues on Monday.
Trump was already slated to be in town to meet with the Business Roundtable lobbying group. He’ll meet with House Republicans at the Capitol Hill Club on Thursday morning before joining Senate Republicans at the National Republican Senatorial Committee later that afternoon.
Other Senate Republicans were disappointed to hear there would be some GOP boycotts.
“I would hope that we’d all be unified for — hopefully — the next president of the United States because if we’re not, we’re going to get our ears beat off,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) said.
“He’s our nominee,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), one of three Republicans vying to be McConnell’s successor as the next GOP leader, said. “We got to win the White House. We got to win the Senate. We got to win the House.”
Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) are also running to replace McConnell and emphasized party unity.
“[Trump’s] team is coordinating with us on all the key Senate races,” Thune said. “I think it’ll be just an attempt to make sure that we’re united as we head into November.”
Cornyn stressed that “unity is helpful.”
Democrats were eager to use the meeting as another opportunity to whack Republicans for their affinity to Trump.
“No other former president enjoys having their ass kissed more than Trump, so it’s going to be a lot of that,” Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said.
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Fetterman then motioned to Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), a potential vice presidential running mate to Trump, who exited a nearby elevator.
“Well, there you go,” Fetterman said.
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