A striking row, even for Trump: New war of words with Corker
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a startling verbal assault on the president of his own party, Republican Sen. Bob Corker today charged Donald Trump "debases our nation" with constant untruths, name calling and bullying, and will leave behind a sad legacy of damaging division.
A furious Trump lashed back over Twitter, calling Corker "incompetent," saying he "doesn't have a clue" and claiming the two-term lawmaker "couldn't get elected dog catcher in Tennessee."
The extreme exchange unfolded just hours before Trump was to lunch with GOP senators at the Capitol to try to unite the party around a rewrite of the nation's tax code.
The tax overhaul is an urgent task for Republicans who've failed to notch a single significant legislative achievement this year despite controlling the White House and both chambers of Congress. Yet the dramatic escalation of the feud between Corker and Trump seemed certain to divert lawmakers' attention.
"When his term is over, the debasing of our nation, the constant nontruth-telling, just the name-calling, I think the debasement of our nation will be what he'll be remembered most for and that's regretful," Corker told reporters at the Capitol. "His governing model is to divide and to attempt to bully and to use untruths."
Corker, who is retiring from the Senate and therefore can fear no political repercussions, said he and others had attempted to intervene with Trump over the months but "he's obviously not going to rise to the occasion as president."
"Unfortunately I think world leaders are very aware that much of what he says is untrue," Corker said. He stopped short of calling Trump a liar and didn't respond when asked if Trump should be removed from office.
Today's war of words intensified a simmering feud between the two men. Corker has been starkly critical of Trump in recent weeks, alleging at one point the president's careless rhetoric toward foreign powers could lead America toward World War III.
That prompted Trump to label his antagonist "Liddle' Bob Corker" and claim, falsely, that Corker had decided to retire after begging for an endorsement Trump wouldn't give.
The latest exchange began when Corker said this morning on NBC's "Today" that Trump should leave it to Congress to set the course on taxes instead of intervening to shoot down one idea or another, as the president did Monday when he assured voters over Twitter that the tax package would leave their 401(k) plans intact.
That led to an angry Twitter response from Trump, who said, "Bob Corker, who helped President O give us the bad Iran Deal & couldn't get elected dog catcher in Tennessee, is now fighting Tax Cuts. ..."