A transcontinental dispute between two senior Republican lawmakers escalated over the weekend when one briefly barred the other from their own delegation's return flight to Washington. The rift between Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker and South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson emerged shortly before they arrived at this year's session of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly. Wilson has lobbied since 2024 to hold next year's session in his home state of the United States. Wicker appeared to agree when he signed a bipartisan letter in March that asked for $4 million in federal funding for the event.
// RELATED STORIES
Suka dengan artikel ini?
Dapatkan lebih banyak informasi teknologi menarik dengan berlangganan newsletter kami. Gratis!
Subscribe Sekarang →Then the Senate Armed Services chair reversed his position. Wicker called Wilson on Thursday to say that Charleston could not host the gathering after all. According to an interview Wilson gave to Semafor, Wicker cited a lack of sufficient catering in Charleston and the high cost of staffing the event as his primary reasons. "It was so disappointing to me that I didn't know he opposed the summer meeting till Thursday," Wilson said.
The two men shared a close relationship that extends to the Helsinki Commission, a panel of United States officials that monitors human rights in OSCE countries, where Wilson serves as chair and Wicker serves as vice chair. "We've been soulmates until Thursday afternoon, and then to be insulted that the arrangements for a catering have not been completed?" Wilson added. He noted that South Carolina could easily handle the culinary demands of the delegation. Wilson had planned to arrive at this year's session in the Netherlands a day later than other congressional delegates so he could spend July 4 in his district, believing he and Wicker would continue discussing the issue.
Instead, Wicker announced before Wilson's flight landed that the United States would not host next year's session, opening the door for Serbia to volunteer. Wilson responded by posting on X that preparations were well underway with widespread support despite a vicious rumor. He also shared a photo of himself with President Donald Trump. This public pushback triggered a series of harsh text messages from Wicker.
"The matter is settled and no amount of your saying otherwise will change that," Wicker wrote in texts obtained by Semafor. "It is time for you to stop embarrassing yourself and the US delegation." Wicker further threatened to remove Wilson from the congressional delegation flight, instructing him to make alternative arrangements to return to the United States. Although Wicker later reversed the threat to block Wilson, his staffer, and his wife from the flight, he maintained his disappointment regarding Wilson's insistence on the 2027 hosting duties.
Wicker also alleged in his texts that Wilson had avoided taking calls from Speaker Mike Johnson, who supposedly wanted Wilson to stand down. Based on statements from Wilson, he later left a voicemail for Johnson, who replied via text that he was not aware of the situation. Wilson stated that Johnson was being unjustly and unfairly blamed for Wicker's independent actions. The offices of both Wicker and Johnson declined to comment on the exchange.
Organizers have already reserved the Charleston Gaillard Center and nearby hotels for next year's session, and invitations have been sent to OSCE ambassadors. Wilson argued that the current uncertainty harms the reputation of the United States and sends a false message to Europe regarding American reliability. He vowed that funding would be secured through the federal budget and noted that local volunteers from institutions like The Citadel would offset staffing costs, remaining hopeful that Wicker might still change his mind.