Here’s what is causing Trump some new problems.
President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda is facing significant new hurdles in the U.S. Senate following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and the continued absence of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). With two influential Republican lawmakers unavailable, Senate leaders are scrambling to keep several high-profile priorities moving before Congress heads into its August recess.
The setbacks come at a critical time as Senate Republicans work to advance defense spending, election legislation, government funding bills, and other measures backed by the Trump administration.
Graham’s Death Leaves Major Leadership Void
Graham served as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and held senior positions on both the Appropriations and Judiciary committees. Over the years, he became one of the Senate’s most influential Republican voices on national defense, federal spending, and judicial matters.
He also played a central role in advancing several of President Trump’s legislative priorities, including the SAVE America Act and legislation aimed at restricting automatic birthright citizenship.
His unexpected passing now leaves Senate Republican leadership with the difficult task of replacing one of its most experienced lawmakers while trying to keep an already crowded legislative calendar on track.
Thune Faces Immediate Challenges
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) must now reorganize several key committees while determining how to move forward on multiple Republican priorities.
One of his first decisions will be selecting a new chairman for the Senate Budget Committee. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is widely expected to assume that role and has indicated he is prepared to lead the committee.
Johnson has already begun meeting with House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) and members of Graham’s former staff to prepare for the transition.
Despite those preparations, the leadership change comes with a steep learning curve and little time before lawmakers leave Washington for the summer.
McConnell’s Continued Absence Creates More Obstacles
Republicans are also dealing with the continued absence of McConnell, who has remained away from the Senate after suffering a fall at his Kentucky home.
McConnell serves as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, making his absence particularly significant as lawmakers debate military funding and annual appropriations bills.
Without both Graham and McConnell participating, Republicans no longer hold the same voting strength on the Senate Appropriations Committee, making it more difficult to move legislation through committee.
Several spending bills have already been delayed, and Senate leaders acknowledge that negotiations have become increasingly complicated.
Trump Priorities Face Delays
Among the measures now facing an uncertain timeline are:
- Approximately $350 billion in additional Pentagon funding.
- The SAVE America Act.
- Legislation addressing birthright citizenship.
- Annual government appropriations bills.
- Emergency defense funding requested by the White House.
President Trump has also requested roughly $67 billion in emergency funding related to military operations involving Iran.
Thune has suggested pursuing that request through the regular appropriations process, though doing so would likely require bipartisan cooperation in a sharply divided Senate.
Republicans Acknowledge the Difficult Road Ahead
Several Republican senators have openly recognized that advancing the party’s agenda has become considerably more challenging.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) said Republicans were already facing a difficult legislative environment before Graham’s death and McConnell’s absence.
She noted that moving additional defense spending or another budget reconciliation package now appears even more difficult.
“It was going to be difficult anyway,” Capito said. “This just makes it more difficult.”
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) also expressed skepticism that Congress would make significant progress over the coming weeks, suggesting lawmakers face an uphill battle before the August recess.
Democrats Hold Key Leverage
Senate Democrats have indicated they will oppose moving forward on several appropriations bills unless Republicans agree to increase non-defense spending.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) argued that current Republican funding proposals do not provide sufficient bipartisan input and called for broader negotiations on overall spending levels.
Because of the narrow balance on the Appropriations Committee, Democratic opposition could significantly delay Republican efforts to move government funding bills.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) previously postponed committee action on several spending measures due to McConnell’s absence.
Graham Championed Several Major Bills
Beyond his committee responsibilities, Graham was one of President Trump’s strongest legislative allies.
He led Republican efforts to advance the SAVE America Act, which includes provisions related to voter registration requirements, voter identification, mail-in voting restrictions, and several additional election-related policies.
Last month, Graham introduced the legislation on the Senate floor, but it failed after several Republicans joined Democrats in voting against it.
President Trump recently praised Graham’s efforts to advance the bill and described his passing as a significant loss for the Republican conference.
Graham also sponsored legislation increasing sanctions on Russia and introduced the Birthright Citizenship Act, which seeks to change how citizenship is granted to children born in the United States under certain circumstances.
Following a recent Supreme Court ruling involving birthright citizenship, Trump again urged Congress to consider legislative action on the issue.
What’s Next for Senate Republicans?
Republican leaders now face the challenge of replacing Graham’s committee leadership while attempting to maintain momentum on several high-profile legislative priorities.
With McConnell’s return date still uncertain and Democrats signaling continued opposition on spending legislation, Senate Republicans must decide whether to pursue bipartisan negotiations or delay key proposals until later in the year.
The coming weeks are expected to play a critical role in determining whether Congress can advance defense funding, government spending bills, election legislation, and other major priorities before lawmakers leave Washington.
While Republican leaders insist they remain committed to moving President Trump’s agenda forward, the loss of Graham and McConnell’s continued absence have created one of the most challenging legislative environments the Senate has faced this year.