McConnell and Murkowski Remind Trump What He’s Up Against

In this PJ Media article, David Manney argues that President Trump’s biggest obstacle is not only Democratic opposition, but also Republican senators who undercut or complicate his agenda from within.

• Trump specifically called out Sens. Mitch McConnell and Lisa Murkowski from the Oval Office as examples of Republicans who make it harder to advance his priorities.
• Manney notes that McConnell is no longer Senate GOP leader, but still has influence as chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.
• The article portrays McConnell as a symbol of old-guard Republican reluctance, especially when Trump needs party unity.
• Murkowski is criticized for being the only Republican to vote with Democrats against a $70 billion immigration enforcement package funding ICE and Border Patrol.
• The bill passed 52–47, but Manney argues the fight exposed how even a few Republican defections can turn a governing moment into an internal GOP battle.
• Sens. Thom Tillis and Bill Cassidy are also mentioned as Republicans who complicated the process during debate over a disputed $1.776 billion fund tied to government weaponization claims.
• The article compares these moments to John McCain’s 2017 thumbs-down vote that helped sink Obamacare repeal, framing it as a warning about Republicans breaking promises at the decisive moment.
• Manney’s larger point is that Trump’s second term requires speed, discipline, and reliable Republican votes, because Democrats, courts, and bureaucrats are already expected to resist.
• The piece concludes that “the swamp” does not always wear a Democratic label; sometimes it operates through Republicans invoking procedure and institutional norms at critical moments.

Read the full story: https://pjmedia.com/david-manney/2026/06/11/mcconnell-and-murkowski-remind-trump-what-hes-up-against-n4953886