The YOLO Caucus Is Growing. What Does It Have Planned? -- WSJ

By Damian Paletta

Good morning. Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) won't be a U.S. senator after Jan. 3, 2027. But, for the next seven months, he will be a member of the swelling YOLO Caucus. YOLO, as in, You Only Live Once.

Lame duck presidents and members of Congress can often be inconsequential, but this group of Republicans who have been cut loose by President Trump through primaries or retirements could wreak havoc...if they decide to.

Cornyn joins Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.), who recently lost his primary because Trump backed an opponent. And they join Sen. Thom Tillis (R., N.C.) who isn't running for re-election and has been trash-talking the White House for months. Add Sen. Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), who is retiring, and Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) -- who have crossed Trump multiple times and seem immune from his glare -- and you've got quite a voting bloc. Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and those six Republicans are enough to torpedo any bill or nomination (Supreme Court?) if they decide to.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R., Ky.) is in the House -- not the Senate -- but he could still stir the pot in that chamber given the narrow GOP majority there.

This isn't all hypothetical. The newly empowered Cassidy recently flipped and voted with Democrats on a measure to rein in Trump's war powers. Such a defection might be a stretch for Cornyn, but there is still plenty of time left before the midterms. Besides, the YOLO Caucus might only grow.

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People and Policies I'm Watching

JD Vance: The vice president is the commencement speaker at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation ceremony.

Trump's Thursday: The president will conduct an interview at 10 a.m. ET, will have signing time at 2 p.m. and will hold a policy meeting at 3:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will conduct the White House press briefing at 2 p.m.

E. Jean Carroll: The Justice Department has opened an investigation into the writer who accused Trump of sexually assaulting her 30 years ago.

What I'm Following

Iran has misjudged the U.S.'s urgency for a deal, the president says. Trump told a cabinet meeting that Tehran was miscalculating if it thought he would soften his position to avoid a prolonged standoff with Tehran because of November's midterms. "They thought they were going to outwait me," Trump said at the start of the meeting. Trump later said that he didn't care about the midterms because voters had backed primary candidates he has endorsed. U.S. forces conducted new military strikes against Iran on Wednesday.

Trump accounts for American children go live. The app where millions of Americans will be able to manage accounts for their children goes live today. Families won't be able to invest in the accounts until July 4, when they officially open. For children born between 2025 and 2028 the government will contribute the first $1,000.

The midterms races where the Senate will be won and lost. Republicans currently have a Senate majority with 53 seats to the 47 held by Democratic senators, including two independents who caucus with the Democrats. There are 35 Senate seats up for election in November. These are the key battlegrounds.

What Else Is Happening

   -- The race to be California's new governor has become a battle of the 
      beards. 
 
   -- European capitals fear Russia may expand the conflict beyond Ukraine to 
      Europe. 
 
   -- CBS News didn't renew Sharyn Alfonsi's contract after clashes with editor 
      Bari Weiss over a delayed "60 Minutes" segment. 
 
   -- The rapid rise of the four-star general tipped to be the next head of the 
      Army. 

What I'm Reading

   -- John Cornyn Lost With his Boots Off (The Atlantic) 
 
   -- Is Donald Trump Tired of Winning? (The Free Press) 
 
   -- Angie Craig built her career winning over swing voters. Now she has to 
      win over Democrats. (Minnesota Star Tribune) 

About Me

I'm Damian Paletta, The Wall Street Journal's Washington coverage chief. I've covered Washington for 22 years as a reporter and editor. I've covered the White House, Congress, national security, the federal budget, economics and multiple market meltdowns.

WSJ Politics brings you an expert guide to what's driving D.C., every weekday morning. Send your feedback to politics@wsj.com (if you're reading this in your inbox, you can just hit reply). This edition was curated and edited in collaboration with Alistair Dawber and Mali Michelle Fleming. Got a tip for us? Here's how to submit.

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May 28, 2026 06:47 ET (10:47 GMT)

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