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 Sen. Roger Wicker and South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson first 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; Wicker appeared to agree when he signed a bipartisan letter in March that asked for $4 million in federal funding for the event.

Then the Senate Armed Services chair reversed himself, calling Wilson on Thursday to say that Charleston could not host the gathering after all.

"It was so disappointing to me that I didn't know he opposed the summer meeting till Thursday," Wilson told Semafor, recounting Wicker's stated reasons as the lack of "sufficient catering in Charleston" and the high cost of staffing the event.

"We've been soulmates until Thursday afternoon, and then to be insulted that the arrangements for a catering have not been completed?" added Wilson, also the most senior GOP member of his chamber's Armed Services Committee. "I'm thinking, 'Hey, we can prepare shrimp and grits so quick it would make your head swim.'"

The pair's close relationship even extends to the Helsinki Commission, a panel of US officials that monitors human rights in OSCE countries. Wilson is the commission's chair and Wicker is its vice chair.

The South Carolinian, who 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, hung up Thursday believing he and Wicker would continue discussing the issue.

Instead, Wicker announced before Wilson's flight landed that the US would not host next year's session, opening the door for Serbia to volunteer. Wilson responded by posting on X that "preparations are well underway with widespread support" for a Charleston gathering despite a "vicious rumor," before sharing a photo of himself with President Donald Trump.

"The matter is settled and no amount of your saying otherwise will change that," Wicker responded in texts to Wilson that were obtained by Semafor. "It is time for you to stop embarrassing yourself and the US delegation."

"Unless, you immediately stop … You … ARE NO LONGER A PART OF CODEL wicker," Wicker added to Wilson, signing the messages with his initials. "PLEASE MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO RETURN TO THE US BY OTHER MEANS."

Wicker later sent another text saying he "reverse[d]" that threat to block Wilson, his staffer and his wife from their group's return flight. (Wilson had paid for his wife's ticket himself.) But Wicker added he was still "disappointed that you are continuing to insist that the US can host in 2027."

Wicker's office did not comment on the exchange.

Wicker also alleged in his texts that Wilson had "avoided taking calls from speaker [Mike] Johnson, who has been trying to tell you to stand down."

After Wilson left Johnson a voicemail, Johnson texted a reply that "he was not aware of any of this," Wilson said.

Johnson "was being unjustly, unfairly, and disgustingly blamed for what Roger Wicker is doing," Wilson said.

Johnson's office did not comment on the exchange.

Organizers have already reserved the Charleston Gaillard Center and nearby hotels for next year's session, Wilson said, and sent invitations to OSCE ambassadors.

The current uncertainty "harms the people of the United States [because] it clearly is a false message to the people of Europe that America is not reliable," Wilson said. "All of these different countries [were] looking forward to coming."

Wilson also said he is working to "substantially" lower the price of the gathering, including by partnering with the state's manufacturers. As for Wicker's claims about the cost of staffing, "there's no place better for unpaid volunteers than Charleston," Wilson said, pointing to The Citadel and the College of Charleston: "I was so insulted."

Wilson vowed that "funding will be in place with the passage of a budget or even a concurrent resolution, ultimately, to provide for the $4 million," adding: "It's still not too late for Senator Wicker to change his mind and announce that."