Sen. Bob Corker accused President Trump of treating the presidency like “a reality show” and said his actions could put the U.S. “on the path to World War III,” according to an interview in Sunday’s New York Times.
“He concerns me,” Mr. Corker, Tennessee Republican, said in a lengthy interview Sunday night. “He would have to concern anyone who cares about our nation.”
Mr. Corker, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the president’s actions in international affairs has “hurt” the country in negotiations with other nations.
“I know for a fact that every single day at the White House, it’s a situation of trying to contain him,” Mr. Corker said to the newspaper.
The interview comes after a heated Twitter exchange between Mr. Trump and Mr. Corker earlier in the day. Mr. Trump said Mr. Corker “didn’t have the guts” to run for re-election. The Tennessee Republican shot back that “someone missed their shift” to babysit the president.
“I find tweets like this to be incredibly irresponsible,” Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, said on Fox News Monday morning.
She added that Mr. Corker was at a private meeting at the White House two weeks ago, and that the president wanted to work with the senator. She said his comments, however, were damaging to the office of the presidency and U.S. relations with other countries.
Late last month, Mr. Corker said he would not seek another term for his seat in 2018, but did not cite the president has a reason for his decision. He did say that prior to the weekend’s testy comments, the president offered to endorse him if he reconsidered, but Mr. Corker refused.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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