President Trump and Sen. Bob Corker to meet for first time since public spat

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A leading Republican senator says Donald Trump has not yet shown the stability or competence required for an American president to succeed. (Aug. 17)
AP

WASHINGTON — President Trump and Sen. Bob Corker will meet Friday, their first one-on-one since their public spat a few weeks ago.

Corker, a Tennessee Republican and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters Thursday the meeting will cover a broad range of topics. He did not elaborate.

Corker said his relationship with Trump was not strained by their squabble, which kicked into gear in August when the senator told reporters Trump had not yet shown the stability nor some of the competence needed to lead. A week later, Trump fired back at Corker on Twitter.

“Strange statement by Bob Corker considering that he is constantly asking me whether or not he should run again in ’18,” Trump wrote “Tennessee not happy!”

Corker said his relationship with Trump “has not deteriorated in any way.”

“We’re two people who know each other in a very unique way,” he said. “We speak with each other in a very frank way. I think our relationship is very, very strong.”

Read more:

Corker: Trump has not shown ‘competence’ needed to lead

Corker on relationship with Trump: ‘It’s back to business as usual’

Trump lashes back at Corker: ‘Tennessee not happy!’

Corker indicated he has seen some positive developments in the White House recently. He praised Trump’s new Afghanistan strategy, the administration’s “unbelievably professional response” to recent hurricanes in Florida and Texas, and Trump’s attempts to deal at the same time with border security and young undocumented immigrants who came to the country illegally as children.

“That is a president who’s not focusing on divisions but focusing on unifying,” Corker said. “I appreciate all of those things.”

Corker said he still has a good relationship with members of Trump’s administration, including the president’s daughter, Ivanka. Corker said he met with her on Wednesday.

“Look, I’m a blunt person,” Corker said of his terse exchange with the president. “I grew up in the rough and tumble world of building buildings all around the country.  I speak very frankly. The president does, too. That’s just kind of relationship we have.

“But for people to try to act as if there is daylight between us as a result, it’s just not true.”

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