A heated exchange unfolded Wednesday during a lunch meeting at the Capitol between President Donald Trump and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) over ongoing U.S. military engagements with Iran, according to multiple Republican senators present.

The confrontation reportedly escalated after Cassidy, alongside three other Republican senators, voted in favor of legislation aimed at limiting the president’s wartime authority. Witnesses described Trump as visibly angry and raising his voice during the discussion. Cassidy sought to defuse tensions by addressing Trump as “my brother” several times, but the president reportedly rejected the overture and told Cassidy to sit down.

Cassidy later acknowledged to reporters that he and Trump both raised their voices during the disagreement. “It’s the Irish in me,” Cassidy remarked, attributing his own temper to his heritage. He said the back-and-forth was intense but that he eventually attempted to de-escalate the situation. Cassidy emphasized the importance of transparency, expressing that “the American people need to know more than we are being told” and that the Senate should be adequately informed on matters related to the conflict.

The Louisiana senator, who lost his bid for re-election earlier this year amid Trump’s support for his primary challenger, remained measured in his comments, calling the overall meeting “swimmingly,” despite the sharp exchange during the session.

President Trump commented briefly after the meeting, affirming that the gathering was productive and expressing pride in the party, while alluding to interpersonal disagreements without specifying individuals. “We like our leader. We like everybody. Really, in the room, we don’t like a few people, but that’s OK,” Trump stated.

Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) described the confrontation in more sardonic terms, likening it to a “hospital board meeting when a bunch of doctors are yelling at each other.” Marshall confirmed that voices were raised and noted the president’s disappointment over the passage of the War Powers Act vote the prior day, a bill seen as restricting Trump’s ability to conduct military operations without congressional approval.

The confrontation highlights continuing tensions within the Republican Party over U.S. military involvement in the Middle East and the scope of presidential power in war decisions.