'Lunatic': Donald Trump enters shouting match with fellow Republican over Iran

US President Donald Trump and Republican Senator Bill Cassidy engaged in a heated shouting match during a closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans on Thursday (local time), exposing growing divisions within the GOP over Trump’s handling of Iran and his broader political agenda. The confrontation erupted after Trump demanded an explanation from Republicans who had joined Democrats a day earlier in voting to curb his military authority in Iran. Cassidy, one of four Republican senators who backed the measure, challenged the president, saying the administration had failed to adequately explain its objectives and strategy.“I stood and said, ‘You have not told the American people what’s going on,'” CNN quoted Cassidy later recalling the incident. He added that he questioned why the military operation had stretched from an expected four weeks to four months without achieving its original goals.According to multiple people in the room, Trump responded angrily, raising his voice at Cassidy. The Louisiana senator said he shouted back at the same “tone and volume” as the president. At one point, Trump ordered Cassidy to sit down, but the senator refused. Trump then reportedly called him a “lunatic.” Cassidy continued arguing before eventually sitting down after colleagues urged him to de-escalate the situation. A White House official later accused the senator of having “totally embarrassed himself” during the exchange.The tense encounter came a day after Trump lashed out at the four Republicans who supported the Iran war powers resolution, calling them “Republican losers” on social media. Senator John Kennedy said afterward that Trump was “mad as a murder hornet” about the vote. The clash highlighted widening frustration among some Republicans as Trump continues to pressure Congress on issues ranging from Iran policy to election legislation. Several GOP lawmakers have privately expressed concern over the president’s political strategy and declining approval ratings ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.