Corker Confronts Pompeo on Trump’s ‘Damaging’ Statements: ‘You Are Not Responding to What I’m Saying’
Senator Bob Corker made it clear to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during today’s big hearing that it’s not him senators have an issue with, it’s President Donald Trump.
He offered praise for both Pompeo and Sec. Jim Mattis before saying, “It’s the President that causes people to have concerns.”
He pointed to Trump creating an “equivalence” between Vladimir Putin‘s word and the assessment of the U.S. intelligence community, as well as the brief consideration from the President on helping Putin interrogate Americans.
Between that, Trump’s criticisms of NATO, and the Trump-Tucker Carlson Montenegro moment, Corker asked, “Why does he do those things?… Is there a strategy with this? What is it that causes the President to purposely––purposely create distrust in these institutions and what we’re doing?”
Pompeo responded, “Senator, I just disagree with most of what you just said there. You somehow disconnect the administration’s activities from the president’s actions. They’re one and the same.”
He points to actions the administration has taken on Russia, but Corker shot back, “Go to the points I just made. Talk to them. I know what we’re doing. Talk to the points I just made.”
Pompeo defended Trump and said he’s being very adversarial against Russia. Corker again said, “Well, look, you handle yourself in exactly the way you should, in my opinion, as it relates to comments. I notice that you are not responding to what I’m saying.”
He emphasized that Trump’s public statements are creating serious concern amongst lawmakers. Pompeo said that some U.S. allies are “behaving differently today” and “scrambling to figure out how to make sure that they are fully part of NATO,” partly as a result of Trump’s statements.
Corker said he agrees some of the statements Trump makes help, but added, “And some of them are very damaging.”
Watch above, via C-SPAN 3.
[image via screengrab]
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