"Once upon a time, lawmakers in Congress were likely to avoid images [such as the Cohen hearings]. The idea of politics stopping at water’s edge was meant to limit criticism of a president traveling abroad in the nation’s interest.
"But that tradition has greatly eroded in the past two decades — and it seems largely forgotten in the Trump era. Trump himself has criticized rivals while overseas and been the subject of such criticism.
"'In terms of Congress deferring to the White House on foreign policy issues, historically there was much more decorum, generally. But the end of that decorum happened long before Trump was elected,' said Ruth Wasem, a professor of policy practice at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.
'I think this is part of a culmination of how things have been going,' added Wasem, who is an opinion contributor for The Hill."