Republicans might finally have a way forward on two of voters’ biggest concerns ahead of November: the Iran war, and addressing voters’ cost-of-living concerns. As of this morning, the deal with Iran is officially signed, and the White House quickly lauded it as a win. That gives the GOP a chance to finally start putting the unpopular war behind them. And over in the Senate, lawmakers advanced a bipartisan, bicameral housing bill that gives Republicans a real piece of affordability-focused legislation to take back to their districts — one that’s more fresh than last year’s “Working Families Tax Cuts.” The peace deal is “already bearing real fruits for the American people,” VP JD Vance told reporters at a briefing this morning. Prices are falling and they “will keep falling further,” he said. “We think you will see relief at the pump on top of what we've already seen.” The White House’s line is one of complete economic victory. Gas prices have finally fallen back below $4 per gallon, though they remain about 25 percent higher than this time last year. Jobless claims fell last week as the labor market remains resilient. “YOU’RE WELCOME,” Trump declared on Truth Social this morning. As ever, the economy remains king — a reality the GOP agenda has appeared at odds with for months. The party has split between hawks supporting the war and looking to squeeze the Iranian regime and the moderates hearing about costs from their razor-edge districts and praying for a speedy resolution. The prospect of a peace deal and legislation to address the cost of living clearing the Senate is the clearest lane for GOP midterms messaging. Yet their biggest problem is still each other. Several Republicans have been airing grievances about the Iran deal — and they aren’t blowing the same victory horn as Trump. The White House formally delivered the agreement to Congress today, which Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker said would make the Obama-era deal payoff “a pittance by comparison.” Some privately are breathing a sigh of relief while pondering the purpose of it all. “The president didn't mean to, but he effectively acknowledged he lost the war. It's no longer worth the economic price,” one House Republican told POLITICO’s Meredith Lee Hill. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he expects a briefing on the deal “early next week,” with concerns mounting over the $300 billion fund tabbed as financial incentive for Iran. But the party’s divisions are much deeper than just the war. Trump has his own ideas about what makes a winning midterms playbook for the GOP — gerrymander everywhere, nix the filibuster, pass the SAVE America Act — and the brunt of it is DOA in the Senate. It’s baffling to the White House that the Senate can’t move what the president has campaigned on for years, POLITICO’s Megan Messerly and colleagues write. “None of this should be new,” a senior White House official told our colleagues. Thune poured cold water on the president’s priorities, describing affordability proposals like the housing bill as an example of “an agenda that we can get the votes to pass," he said, per POLITICO’s Jordain Carney. But to hear Vance, the former senator, talk about it, it’s not a question of passing anything. “Why don't we try and force people to vote against it?” he told reporters. “One of the things that sometimes frustrates me about the legislative process is that people will go into it saying this isn't possible — therefore we won't try,” Vance said. “Let people go on the record and answer to the American people and do exactly as the president said.” MORE FROM VANCE: “US allows more than a dozen ships through to Iranian ports, lifting blockade under deal,” by AP: “[Vance] said Thursday that the U.S. Navy has allowed more than a dozen ships through to Iranian ports, lifting a blockade as part of an agreement to end the war. … And in an extraordinary rebuke, he warned U.S. critics in Israel against ‘attacking the only powerful ally’ it has left. He lashed out at members of the Israeli government, warning them that ‘Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time.’” Good Thursday afternoon. This is Ali Bianco. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop me a line at abianco@politico.com. PROGRAMMING NOTE: Playbook PM will be off tomorrow for the federal holiday, but will be back in your inboxes on Monday. Playbook will still publish tomorrow morning! |
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