The cracks in Trump's coalition keep growing -- but when does it break? [View all]

The cracks in Trump’s coalition keep growing — but when does it break?
Congressional Republicans are praising the president publicly, and screaming into their pillows privately

By Brian Karem
White House columnist
Published April 10, 2026 9:00AM (EDT)


(Salon) “Make it stop,” said the voice on the other end of the phone in the tone of someone weary from emotional pain, or maybe under the influence of opioids. Could be both. I’d asked him about President Trump’s Truth Social post that began by declaring “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”

“I haven’t had my morning coffee,” he continued, “my wife has a doctor’s appointment and I haven’t had a day off from this mess in two weeks.”

Those symptoms describe many who live in the United States, but then he said, “The fact that I voted for this dumb**s makes it hurt more.” The fact that the person on the other end of the phone is a ranking Republican member of Congress made that statement even more poignant.

Some congressional Republicans, like Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and Texas Rep. Nathaniel Moran publicly chastised the president for his recent actions. Many more, like my friend on the phone, are saying far worse things about Trump privately. This has been the M.O. of Republicans since Trump first walked down the escalator, attacked Mexicans and made fun of a handicapped reporter. Privately, they say he is rude, crude and socially unacceptable while defending him publicly. Some no longer do.

....(snip)....

There are occasional cries of impeachment in the Senate and House. Those brave Republican souls who valiantly oppose Trump privately while praising him publicly are among the loudest to scream into a pillow that he should be impeached. But so far, House Speaker Mike Johnson still controls his razor-thin majority. That is expected to change after the midterms, and if the Democrats don’t successfully snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory, they may find themselves with a working majority in the House next year. Many, including the president, have predicted he will then be impeached. .................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2026/04/10/the-cracks-in-trumps-coalition-keep-growing-but-when-does-it-break/