Two Republican members of Congress, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), have engaged in a disagreement regarding the location of the next session of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly. Wilson expressed support for holding the 2027 session in Charleston, South Carolina, a decision made in May. However, Wicker recently informed him that this plan would not proceed due to concerns over catering options and staffing costs in Charleston.
Wilson stated, "It was so disappointing to me that I didn’t know he opposed the summer meeting till Thursday," and he emphasized on social media that canceling the event would send a negative message about U.S. reliability to allies and adversaries. The dispute escalated during the 2026 OSCE parliamentary assembly session in The Hague, Netherlands, where Wicker told Wilson, "The matter is settled and no amount of your saying otherwise will change that."
Wicker further instructed Wilson to make arrangements to return to the U.S. by other means, although he later allowed them to take their original flight back. Wilson remarked on social media about the challenges he faced while representing the U.S. in the OSCE PA. Wicker serves as the chairman of the Helsinki Commission, and Wilson is the co-chair. The OSCE has not held its annual session in the U.S. since 2005. Wilson also claimed there are attempts to sabotage the upcoming OSCE PA meeting in Charleston.