Sen. Bob Corker said Thursday his relationship with President Trump is “irrelevant” to him getting his business done.
“I have not spoken to him, but look, I’m constantly in touch with Tillerson, with Pence, with Mnuchin, who was just in my office recently on the tax issues,” Mr. Corker, Tennessee Republican, said on MSNBC. “To be honest, my relationship with the president is not relevant. I’m dealing with the principals who conduct foreign policy, and I hope that more and more, he’ll leave these issues to them.”
Mr. Corker was referring to his more positive working relationships with Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, Vice President Mike Pence and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. The senator said he still plans to work with the people he needs to in his remaining 14 months in the Senate.
He said that he did not speak with Mr. Trump at the luncheon the president attended with Republican senators on Tuesday.
Mr. Corker said he’d like to move on from the feud and focus on his work, adding that he’s a big supporter of Mr. Tillerson, despite reports he resented him for taking the secretary of state job. He called such reports “ridiculous.” The senator was also interviewed for the position.
Mr. Corker made waves when he announced his retirement in late September, but it escalated into a public feud with Mr. Trump. Mr. Corker referred to the White House as “an adult daycare center” after Mr. Trump accused Mr. Corker of retiring because he refused to endorse him.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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