‘Lunatic’: Trump, Republican Senator Engage In Shouting Match Over Iran War

Last Updated:June 25, 2026, 04:01 IST

Donald Trump and Sen. Bill Cassidy clashed in a heated closed door GOP lunch over Iran war powers, with a shouting match highlighting Republican tensions over Trump’s authority

United States President Donald Trump and Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy clashed over the administration’s handling of the Iran war during a closed-door lunch meeting with GOP senators at the US Capitol on Wednesday, according to CNN.

The meeting became heated after Trump expressed anger over the Senate’s vote a day earlier to limit his war powers in Iran. According to a CNN source, the lunch was “very intense", and the vote was a major focus of the discussion.

The confrontation escalated into a shouting match as Trump and Cassidy repeatedly talked over one another. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama later confirmed that the two men “had a difference of opinion on Iran," while Sen. Jon Husted described the exchange as “memorable."

The clash came a day after Cassidy voted to formally rebuke Trump’s handling of the Iran conflict by supporting a resolution aimed at curbing the president’s military authority.

Trump, Cassidy’s Iran Showdown

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Cassidy said the exchange began when Trump questioned Republican senators over their support for the War Powers resolution.

“The President was wondering why people would vote for the War Powers Act. I asked him if that would be a rhetorical question, a real question. He said, ‘real’. And so, as we begin to speak, the president didn’t want to hear my question, interrupted me," Cassidy said.

Also Read: US Senate Passes Resolution Calling For End To Trump’s Military Action Against Iran

He added, “I didn’t care to be interrupted. I felt like I was trying to get answers for the American people, and I’m not going to be bullied when I’m trying to get answers for the American people, and so, so it escalated from there. At some point it de-escalated."

According to the Louisiana senator, he responded: “I stood and said, ‘you have not told the American people what’s going on. It was supposed to last four weeks, it’s lasted four months. Our original objectives have not been achieved, and I want to know what’s going on.'"

Meeting Turns Into Shouting Match

Multiple sources said Trump, visibly angry, raised his voice during the exchange, while Cassidy shouted back. Recalling the confrontation, Cassidy said he “lost his temper" and shouted back at Trump in the same “tone and volume" as the president.

Cassidy acknowledged losing his temper. “At some point, my guys next to me said, ‘ok, Bill, sit down,’ and so I sat down and tried to de-escalate," he said.

He added that he blamed his “Irish" temper for the outburst but stood by his actions.

“I make no apologies for standing up to the president, if you will, trying to demand that more information be shared with the Senate and more information be shared with the American people," Cassidy said. “I am sticking up for the American people, even if I’m speaking to the president," he added.

Trump Calls Cassidy ‘Lunatic’

According to CNN, Trump told Cassidy to sit down, but the senator initially refused, after which the US president called Cassidy a “lunatic."

Then, Cassidy referred to Trump as his “brother," prompting Trump to respond that he was not his “brother." Cassidy eventually took his seat.

When asked by reporters whether Trump had called him a lunatic, Cassidy did not deny it.

“Can I imagine that the President called me things that would be said on a school – on a playground? Yeah, I can imagine that," he said.

He also did not deny referring to Trump as “brother," saying, “I don’t think that’s really important to the story."

Trump Calls Meeting With Republican Senators ‘Great’

The confrontation comes weeks after Trump backed Cassidy’s successful Republican primary challenger, effectively ending the Louisiana senator’s congressional career. Since then, Cassidy has emerged as one of the president’s most vocal Republican critics.

Also Read: Trump Cancels Housing Bill Signing, Demands Congress Pass SAVE America Act First

The confrontation with Cassidy came on the same day Trump scrapped a planned signing ceremony for a bipartisan housing measure. The president said he would withhold his signature until the Senate approved his proposed Save America Act, which would require voters to present identification before casting a ballot in federal elections.

Speaking to reporters as he departed the Capitol, Trump described the gathering with Senate Republicans as “a great meeting" but acknowledged tensions within his party.

“We like our leader. We like everybody, really, in the room," Trump said. “I don’t like a few people, but that’s okay, I think you know who they are," he added.

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Prisha Vibhavari

Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news. She specialises in editorial leadership, sharp news judgment, and high-impact st...Read More

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