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by ALEXX ALTMAN-DEVILBISS | The National News Desk
WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump has a full day of meetings on Wednesday as he heads to Capitol Hill for a closed-door luncheon with Senate Republicans, followed by a face-to-face meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House.
The luncheon comes amid growing friction between Trump and Senate Republicans over several issues, including his push to pass the SAVE America Act, disputes over nominations and intelligence appointments, and lingering questions about the administration's handling of the conflict with Iran. Still, senators say they hope the meeting will focus on party unity ahead of the midterm elections.
Trump intensified that pressure by halting a planned signing ceremony for a bipartisan affordable housing bill that passed Congress with broad support. The president said he would not sign the legislation until lawmakers pass the SAVE America Act.
Texas Sen. John Cornyn said Tuesday that "if we're going to win the midterm elections, we need to get on the same page."
But divisions remain over how to advance the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and impose new voter identification requirements.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., supports the bill but has repeatedly argued there are not enough votes to eliminate the filibuster and overcome the Senate's 60-vote threshold for most legislation in the narrowly divided chamber.
Trump has urged Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster to pass the measure and has pushed to add provisions banning mail-in ballots, restricting some sex reassignment surgeries for minors and preventing transgender women from competing in women's sports.
"Those are just hard realities," Thune said. "And I think people at some point have to come to grips with that."
Thune said he hopes the meeting is about "sitting down as a family" and determining the party's priorities in the months leading up to the election.
Beyond election legislation, senators may also seek answers about administration personnel decisions. Trump recently delayed the nomination of Jay Clayton as national intelligence director, frustrating Republican leaders who had hoped to quickly confirm him and move past Trump's interim pick, Bill Pulte, who has no known intelligence experience.
At the same time, Trump has said he would not sign a renewal of a key surveillance law unless Senate Republicans attach the SAVE America Act.
Foreign policy is also expected to loom over the luncheon. Republicans could press Trump for more details about the conflict with Iran and the agreement that brought an end to the fighting. Most lawmakers have yet to receive a formal briefing on the deal.
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., acknowledged there are still questions about the agreement but said Trump may be limited in what he can discuss publicly while negotiations continue.
"We're there to listen" and to help ensure the remainder of Trump's term is successful, Rounds said. But that means "we've got to come out with a united team."
Later in the day, Trump will meet with Rutte ahead of the annual NATO summit. The visit comes after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sharply criticized some U.S. allies during a meeting in Brussels and announced a six-month Pentagon review of American troop deployments in Europe.
Hegseth accused some European allies of putting U.S. service members at risk by refusing to provide access to military bases and airspace for operations targeting Iran.
"These allies, they put America's sons and daughters, our sons and daughters, at risk by denying them the predictable access, basing and overflight that never should have been in question at all," Hegseth said.
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