Trump tells Susan Collins he’s ‘very mad’ and criticizes her over phone call

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump made an angry, profanity‑laced phone call to Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine after she voted in favor of a war powers measure this week.

The confrontation came amid heightened tensions following a U.S. invasion of Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on Saturday, January 3.

Trump’s heated call with Susan Collins

According to a report by The Hill, Trump phoned Collins and unleashed a tirade after her vote in favor of a war powers measure that would require the president to obtain congressional approval before taking further military action in Venezuela.

A small group of Senate Republicans joined all Democrats to pass the measure narrowly, with a 52-47 vote, just surpassing the 51-vote threshold needed to advance it. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, Todd Young, and Susan Collins joined Democratic senators to advance the bill.

A Republican senator, speaking anonymously, described Trump’s remarks to Collins as a “profanity‑laced rant,” saying that the president “read her the riot act.” 

The GOP member also noted that the call came “out of the blue,” as the two do not talk frequently. A second source confirmed that Trump told Collins the war powers resolution would limit presidential authority, particularly his powers as commander in chief.

"He was very mad about the vote," the source said. Collins’s spokesperson confirmed that the phone call took place but declined to comment further on its substance. 

Trump denounces War Powers Resolution

In addition to the call, Trump took to Truth Social on Thursday to further express his anger at Collins and the other Republicans who supported the war powers measure. In his post, Trump said "Republicans should be ashamed of the Senators that just voted with Democrats in attempting to take away our Powers to fight and defend the United States of America."

Trump named Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young, saying they should never be elected to office again. He further claimed the vote “greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security” and argued it impedes his authority as commander in Chief.

He also declared that the War Powers Act is unconstitutional, suggesting that prior presidents and the Department of Justice had previously determined the measure violated Article II of the Constitution. Trump added that despite his view of the vote as misguided, a more significant Senate vote on the issue was scheduled for the following week.

Collins is widely considered the most vulnerable Republican incumbent up for reelection in November. She responded to Trump’s criticism to reporters, saying, “The president obviously is unhappy with the vote. I guess this means that he would prefer to have Gov. Mills or somebody else with whom he’s not had a great relationship. I don’t know, I’m just not going to comment.”