GOP Senator slams Trump: “It’s a shame the White House has become an adult day care center"
In a series of Sunday morning tweets, President Donald Trump called out retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), a member of the president’s own party, claiming that Corker only announced his retirement after Trump refused to endorse his re-election bid.
“Senator Bob Corker ‘begged’ me to endorse him for re-election in Tennessee,” the president boasted. “I said ‘NO’ and he dropped out (said he could not win without my endorsement).”
Senator Bob Corker "begged" me to endorse him for re-election in Tennessee. I said "NO" and he dropped out (said he could not win without...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2017
..my endorsement). He also wanted to be Secretary of State, I said "NO THANKS." He is also largely responsible for the horrendous Iran Deal!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2017
He later added that the senator “didn’t have the guts to run” and that he would “stand in the way” of Trump’s agenda.
...Hence, I would fully expect Corker to be a negative voice and stand in the way of our great agenda. Didn't have the guts to run!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 8, 2017
But Corker didn’t let Trump’s attacks go unanswered: Less than an hour later, the moderate Senate Republican sent out a searing tweet in response to the president’s barbs.
It's a shame the White House has become an adult day care center. Someone obviously missed their shift this morning.
— Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) October 8, 2017
“It’s a shame the White House has become an adult day care center,” Corker tweeted. “Someone obviously missed their shift this morning.”
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The kicker to all of this? Apparently Trump told Corker “multiple times” that he would endorse his re-election, and that Trump recently called the senator to ask him not to retire in exchange for an endorsement, according to Manu Raju, CNN’s senior political reporter.
Two sources familiar with matter tell me this tweet is false. Trump told Corker multiple times he would endorse him. https://t.co/cZKfIUWXe0
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 8, 2017
Also Trump called Corker early last week and asked him to *reconsider* his decision to retire and said again he'd endorse him, per source
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 8, 2017
Corker announced his retirement in late September.