Trump, Corker reignite feud with nasty war of words
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Trump and Sen. Bob Corker reignited their feud on Tuesday, exchanging a series of digs after the retiring Republican lawmaker ramped up his criticism of the administration and its policies.
"Sen. Corker is the incompetent head of the Foreign Relations Committee, & look how poorly the U.S. has done," Trump tweeted Tuesday. "He doesn't have a clue as the entire World WAS laughing and taking advantage of us. People like liddle' Bob Corker have set the U.S. way back. Now we move forward!"
Tuesday's war of words began when Corker, R-Tenn., the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, blasted Trump on morning shows on ABC and NBC.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“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,” Trump tweeted following those interviews. “Corker dropped out of the race in Tennessee when I refused to endorse him, and now is only negative on anything Trump. Look at his record!”
Corker fired back minutes later.
"Same untruths from an utterly untruthful president. #AlertTheDaycareStaff," Corker tweeted.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The dispute raised tensions just hours before the president was set to visit Capitol Hill for a working lunch with GOP senators. With tax reform on the agenda, Trump fired another warning shot later Tuesday morning:
"Isn't it sad that lightweight Senator Bob Corker, who couldn't get re-elected in the Great State of Tennessee, will now fight Tax Cuts plus!"
Corker later told Fox News that Trump's "political model ... is to divide." Asked if he thinks Trump is "debasing" the nation," Corker said, "I don't think there's any question that's the case."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The tweets and comments extend a weeks-long feud between Trump and Corker.
Corker, who announced last month that he would not seek re-election in 2018, earlier suggested that the White House had become an "adult day care center."
“I don’t make comments I haven’t thought about,” Corker said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Tuesday, referring back to that tweet.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TRUMP TURNS ON GOP SEN. CORKER OVER 'COMPETENCE' COMMENT
Corker also told “Good Morning America” Tuesday that he is not satisfied with Trump’s presidency or his treatment of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
TRUMP CALLS 'LIDDLE' BOB CORKER A 'FOOL' OVER NYT INTERVIEW
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“When you look at the fact that we’ve got this issue in North Korea and the president continues to kneecap his diplomatic representative, the secretary of state, and really move him away from successful diplomatic negotiations with China, which is key to this, you’re taking us on a path to combat,” Corker said on “Good Morning America,” adding that he would like Trump to “leave it to the professionals for a while.”
Corker added: “The president undermines our secretary of state [and] raises tensions in the area by virtue of the tweets that he sends out.”
On tax reform, Corker also said that much of the discussion should be left to the committees.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}And, despite being one of Trump's early supporters, Corker told CNN he would not support Trump for re-election: “Let’s just say, I would not do that again.”
Fox News' Jason Donner contributed to this report.