Republicans begin to test the limits of Trump’s power by flexing their own

WASHINGTON – On a tour through Asia last autumn, US President Donald Trump took a moment on the world stage to celebrate a legislative victory at home: After months of ironfisted pressure, he had compelled the Republicans to pass legislation that cut taxes and slashed into the country’s social safety net.

“I said, ‘Put it all into one Bill, and if we get it done, we’re done for four years,’” Trump said during an October speech in Tokyo. “We don’t need anything more from Congress in terms of that.”