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President Donald Trump phoned Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and laid into the senator for voting in favor of a war powers measure this week after the U.S. invaded Venezuela on Saturday and abducted President Nicolas Maduro.
On Thursday, five Republicans joined all 47 Democratic senators in voting to advance legislation that would require the president to obtain congressional approval before taking further military action against the South American country. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young were the other Republicans who backed the measure.
The Hill reported on Friday that Collins was on the business end of a tense phone call in which Trump shredded her over her vote.
“He called her and then basically read her the riot act,” one Republican senator anonymously told The Hill, saying the president went on a “profanity-laced rant.”
A second source told the outlet that Trump told Collins the resolution would limit the president’s powers.
“He was very mad about the vote,” the person said. A Collins spokesperson confirmed to The Hill that the call occurred, but declined to comment further.
On Thursday, Trump fired off a Truth Social post and laid into Collins and four other Republicans who voted for the war powers measure.
“This Vote greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President’s Authority as Commander in Chief,” Trump claimed. “In any event, and despite their ‘stupidity,’ the War Powers Act is Unconstitutional, totally violating Article II of the Constitution, as all Presidents, and their Departments of Justice, have determined before me. Nevertheless, a more important Senate Vote will be taking place next week on this very subject.”
Collins is running for reelection this year.
