White House press secretary Sarah Sanders went after a Republican-held Congress for failing to repeal Obamacare and addressed GOP Sen. Bob Corker’s attack on Trump in The New York Times.
Here are three key moments from Tuesday’s press briefing.
1. Trump was just joking when he said he and Secretary of State Tillerson should compare IQ tests
Just days after a report that the secretary of state called the president a “moron,” Trump told Forbes in an article published Tuesday, “I think it’s fake news, but if he did that, I guess we’ll have to compare IQ tests. And I can tell you who is going to win.”
Sanders was asked about this along with Trump’s comment that Tillerson needs to be “tougher.”
“The president never implied that the secretary of state was not incredibly intelligent. He made a joke, nothing more than that. He has full confidence in the secretary of state,” the White House press secretary replied. “They had a great visit earlier today and they are working hand in hand to move the president’s agenda forward.”
2. Sen. Corker doesn’t know what he is talking about
Tennessee Sen. Corker told The New York Times in a Sunday interview that Trump is leading the U.S. on a path to “World War III.”
“Sen. Corker is entitled to his own opinion but not his own facts. The fact is this president has been a strong leader on foreign policy and national security and has been leader on this front,” Sanders said. “His vision is creating calm around the world.”
3. Congress is alienated Americans by not following through on promises
Fox News Radio White House reporter Jon Decker asked Sanders whether Trump’s feud with Corker and other Republican senators has alienated Congress.
“I don’t think he alienated anyone. I think Congress alienated themselves by not getting the job done that the people of this country elected them to do. They all promised and campaigned on repealing and replacing Obamacare and they have not done that,” Sanders said about GOP lawmakers. “Time and time again Congress has made promises and failed to deliver. If anyone is being alienated it is people promising things and not delivering.”