How Republicans in Congress Reign in Trump

Everyone take for granted that Republicans will unanimously vote to acquit when the Trump impeachment comes before them.

But at least three Republican Senators have expressed support for a War Powers Resolution to forbid a war with Iran without approval from Congress, and others may join.

And it has been pointed out by astute observers such as Ross Douthat (it will take forever for me to find) that this is by no means unique.

Douthat has pointed out that Republican Senators have occasionally defied Trump on matters of personnel.  Although the Republican Senate has spared Trump the public humiliation of rejecting one of his nominees, they have been known to discretely let it be known that certain nominees will not pass and allowed Trump to quietly withdraw them.  Senate Republicans rejected both Stephen Moore and Herman Cain as clearly unqualified to serve on the Federal Reserve.  They have also rejected Ken Cuccinelli as Director of the US Citizenship and Immigration Service, although Trump has evaded that by appointing him Acting Director.  And there is a reason that Michael Flynn and John Bolton served as National Security Adviser -- the job does not require Senate confirmation, and both men were considered unconfirmable. 

Republicans in Congress have also quietly thwarted Trump on matters of policy.  They never did build his wall, for instance.  And, after a disastrous failed attempt to repeal Obamacare, they have shown no interest in reviving the subject, for all their leader's urging.

The reason for this (Douthat and others have pointed out), is that personnel and policy are secondary matters to Trump.  Where Republicans in Congress have never defied Trump is in any attempt to hold him personally accountable for countless acts of corruption, because they know that is what Trump really cares about. 

In effect, Trump and Congressional Republicans have an unspoken bargain in place -- he supports Republican priorities and picks Federalist Society judges in exchange for looking the other way on personal corruption. That is the essence of a corrupt quid pro quo.