Republicans might 'exert collective power' on Trump under one condition: GOP strategist

One political expert said that the more anger seen at town halls and from voters, the more pressure is placed on U.S. House and Senate members. She further suggests this might force Republicans to use their power on President Donald Trump.

Lindsey Drath, a former regional finance director for Sen. Mitt Romney's (R-UT) campaign, told MSNBC host José Díaz-Balart that the kind of town halls lawmakers are facing back home could ultimately have an impact.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) faced an audience of allies, Nicolle Wallace and former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) pointed out on Tuesday. However, even that audience demanded answers about the Maryland man the U.S. government admits was wrongfully deported to an El Salvador prison.

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Speaking to his town hall audience, Grassley said that getting the man back is "not a power of Congress."

Drath said that comment stood out to her.

"Congress has great collective power. It is choosing not to use it," she said. "And if you look at what happened last week with the 90-day suspension of the tariffs, that's actually an example of Congress' collective power. They came together quietly," she pointed out with regard to the trade war.

The Senate passed legislation reaffirming congressional authority over tariffs, which is granted by Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. Despite the Senate being in the hands of Republicans, the measure passed. It likely won't be brought to a vote in the House, but the argument is that the Senate showed its displeasure in the way it can.

"What we're seeing right now is a gross overreach of the executive branch, because you have a legislative branch that is failing to actually address key issues," she noted.

After the Senate passed the tariff bill, Trump backed down, she said.

"It was because of pressure placed on the executive branch by the members of the Republican Senate — they have the opportunity to do this," said Drath. "And I think that the more town halls we host and the more public sentiment that comes behind this, we will start to see an opportunity for them to exert that collective power."

See the clip below or at the link here.

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