Trump blames Senate GOP, not himself, for stalled agenda

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump blamed Senate Republicans, not himself, for the stalled GOP agenda today ahead of a crucial White House lunch meeting with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on getting make-or-break tax legislation back on track.

The president also expressed understanding for former senior aide Steve Bannon's all-out war on the GOP establishment, an insurgent attack on McConnell and others that unnerves the GOP and could threaten the party's majority grip on Congress.

"I'm not going to blame myself. I'll be honest they are not getting the job done," Trump told reporters at a Cabinet meeting. He said there are Republicans "frankly who should be ashamed of themselves."

Trump repeatedly has blamed McConnell for the failure of the GOP Congress to repeal and replace Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act after years of Republican and Trump promises to dismantle the law. He also has hinted at deals with Democrats on immigration.

Through the remainder of the year, Congress has a hefty agenda of must-do items and legislation that Trump has kicked to lawmakers to handle, from changes to the Iran nuclear accord to keeping the government open, from a tax overhaul to dealing with the young immigrants brought to the country as children and living here illegally.