Overview
- President Trump used a live Oval Office question-and-answer session Thursday to sharply criticize Sen. Mitch McConnell as an “angry man” and a “bad guy” and to call Sen. Lisa Murkowski “terrible,” citing their opposition to his voting bill.
- The exchange followed a Senate roll call in which McConnell and Murkowski were among four Republicans who broke ranks and voted against the SAVE America Act, a package of voting restrictions Trump has pushed.
- Trump insisted he deserved credit for installing conservative judges and accused McConnell of giving money to Democrats and blocking border-wall funding so Trump had to reallocate military funds.
- The remarks were broadcast live on Newsmax after the president signed a proclamation rolling back certain fishing regulations and they included discussion of a possible supplemental funding request for the Pentagon.
- Policy analysts and multiple outlets warned that the public attacks could jeopardize Trump-backed measures because the GOP’s 53-47 Senate majority leaves little room for defections and may complicate future deal-making.