AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTnews analysisThe president upended the majority leader’s plans by yanking his intelligence nominee from a confirmation hearing and insisting on an end to the filibuster.Listen · 7:56 min Senator John Thune, Republican of South Dakota and the majority leader, has shown more willingness in recent days to push back against President Trump no matter the fallout.Credit...Alex Kent/The New York TimesJune 17, 2026, 3:57 p.m.

ETPresident Trump may be trying to wind down his conflict with Iran, but he is escalating his war with Senate Republicans.Mr. Trump blindsided his supposed allies in the Senate on Wednesday with a rocket of a social media post from across the Atlantic, tying together a host of his pet peeves about the Senate while yanking his new nominee for national intelligence director from his confirmation hearing just hours before it was to occur.It was an extraordinary move from a president whose own party controls the chamber, but just the latest sign of a major rupture between Mr.

Trump and G.O.P. senators as the midterm elections approach.Mr. Trump’s abrupt announcement pulled the rug out from under the carefully laid plans of Senator John Thune, the South Dakota Republican and majority leader, who had been toiling to clean up yet another mess the president created for his party last week when he named his loyalist Bill Pulte to serve as the director of national intelligence.Mr.

Thune had been moving expeditiously to confirm Jay Clayton for the post to avoid an ugly confrontation over the temporary installation of Mr. Pulte, who is opposed by members of both parties.Mr. Thune’s plan was working — Democrats who have almost uniformly opposed Mr.

Trump’s nominees suggested they would cooperate with the rapid confirmation of Mr. Clayton — until the president stepped in.Carl Hulse is the chief Washington correspondent for The Times, primarily writing about Congress and national political races and issues.

He has nearly four decades of experience reporting in the nation’s capital.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT