Sen. Booker says he’s ‘absolutely expecting’ more Republican opposition to Trump

Democratic Sen. Cory Booker said Sunday he expects Republican opposition to President Donald Trump’s policy agenda to grow following his administration’s push to craft new policy. $1.8 billion anti-proliferation fundamong other actions.

“We fought a revolution to stop exactly that; to stop an executive from taking public funds and doing whatever he wants without any checks and balances,” Booker told ABC News’ “This Week” co-host Jonathan Karl. he said. “This president is giving us a master class in destroying our own democracy.”

The anti-gun fund would allow those who claim to be victims of the government to apply for compensation and could include those who were convicted for participating in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, but were pardoned by Trump.

But the creation of that fund was temporarily blocked by a federal judge on Friday, one of several actions Trump took that were halted by the courts last week. In a separate case, a federal judge ordered Trump’s name removed from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Trump says ‘I’m not interested’ in Kennedy Center overhaul after judge orders removal of his name

The president spoke out against the decision on his social media platform, criticizing the judge who made the decision but asserting that he would move on.

“We will work with Congress to turn this failed institution back to them so they can decide what to do with it,” Trump wrote in a post Friday.

Booker harshly criticized the president for adding his name to the center in the first place and said he had discussed the issue with his Republican colleagues. There has been further backlash from the president’s party in recent weeks after Trump-backed candidates defeated several Republican incumbents in their primaries, including Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy and Texas Sen. John Cornyn.

Asked about the possibility of further GOP backpedaling, Booker said he “absolutely expects” that.

“In private conversations… Republicans will express how appalled they are by this behavior,” Booker said. “The president took one of our sacred monuments to an assassinated president and stamped his name on it. What’s next? The Trump-Lincoln Memorial? God bless America.”

Democrats have repeatedly criticized the president for attaching his name and image to other American institutions or symbols; This includes his administration putting his face on a special $250 bill for the nation’s 250th birthday last week; This would require Congress to change the law to allow a living person to appear on U.S. currency.

Booker said Sunday that the nation’s anniversary should not center around the president.

“That’s the problem with Trump. He’s a divider,” Booker said. “I hope people don’t see his intent in this, but that it reminds us of what American history has always been about. It was about the power of the people being greater than the people in power.”

With the midterm elections just five months away, Democrats are looking for opportunities to stop Trump’s agenda in the House and Senate.

One of the most competitive races is in Maine, where GOP Sen. Susan Collins faces a challenge from outsider candidate Graham Platner. Platner was already facing other controversies, but the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times reported over the weekend that Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, notified the campaign during the early review process that Platner had sent numerous sexually explicit messages to other women.

In response, Gertner posted a video telling X that they had a great marriage and were getting counseling.

Asked Sunday if Booker had concerns about Platner jeopardizing Democratic control of the Senate, Booker said he did.

“Yes, I have concerns. This guy has questions to answer,” Booker said. “That’s what campaigns are for.”

Booker did not say whether he would seek support from Platner, but said he was focused on helping Democrats take back the Senate.

“I know it depends on the Democrats gaining control of the Senate,” Booker said. “If we don’t get the votes necessary to handle the business of the House and Senate in this election, we will continue to have an out-of-control president.”