“Congress remains largely pliant to Mr Trump,” writes the Economist. “But a small band of Republican senators are increasingly defiant.” According to the Economist, “Thune is also loath to use the budgetary tool known as reconciliation as a workaround. Senate Republicans ‘have no intention of putting skin in the game on Trump’s behalf,’ explains a Republican operative.” In Louisiana Julia Letlow was personally recruited by the president, while Kentucky’s Andy Barr has vowed ‘to stand with President Trump 100 percent’.”