The main reason why President Biden can’t get a deal with Republicans to tackle border issues is that Donald Trump and his family are blocking it and issuing threats.
Earlier this week, Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed that he has been consulting with Donald Trump about border legislation.
On Friday, Donald Trump Jr. made an explicit threat:
Senate GOP RINOs are about to cut a deal with Joe Biden and the Democrats to give us the biggest amnesty in years combined with billions more to Ukraine.
Any “Republican” who votes for this deal needs to face a Primary challenger!!!
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 19, 2024
Democrats and Independents may not understand why Donald Trump Jr.’s threat matters. Threats to primary incumbents have little sway in the Democratic Party.
In the Republican Party, where Donald Trump controls 50%-66% of the voters, a primary threat terrifies incumbents. Elected Republicans aren’t scared of Trump. Incumbent Republicans fear his voters, because they have seen what happens to incumbent Republicans in Congress when they go against Donald Trump.
There is not going to be a deal on the border, because Trump is centering his presidential campaign around immigration and the border issue. If Republicans make a deal with Biden, it would take away one of Donald Trump’s few policy issues for 2024.
The Trumps have used the primary threat tactic for years, and it always works. Even if Senate Republicans make a deal with President Biden that includes funding for border issues, it will die in the House, where Republicans are terrified of being primaried.
President Biden has shown that he is more than capable of getting bipartisan deals that are good for America. The problem isn’t Biden. The problem is the looming presence of Donald Trump.
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