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US President Donald Trump has described his meeting with Republican senators as a “love fest”, despite attacks on his character by members of his own party.
He mocked his critics on Twitter, adding that Republicans had given him a “standing ovation” at a Capitol Hill lunch on tax reform on Tuesday.
His visit was largely overshadowed by public denunciations from Republican Senators Bob Corker and Jeff Flake.
Mr Trump said the retiring senators “had zero chance of being elected”.
President Trump told reporters on the White House lawn on Wednesday that “we actually have great unity in the Republican party”.
“We’re really unified on what we want to do,” he added, before boarding Air Force One for a trip to Dallas, Texas.
“The meeting with Republican Senators yesterday, outside of Flake and Corker, was a love fest with standing ovations and great ideas for USA!” Mr Trump had tweeted earlier on Wednesday.
“The reason Flake and Corker dropped out of the Senate race is very simple, they had zero chance of being elected. Now act so hurt & wounded!” the president continued.
On Tuesday Mr Flake took to the Senate floor to deliver a fierce attack on the US president while announcing his resignation.
In announcing his decision to not seek re-election in 2018, the Arizona Republican decried the “reckless, outrageous and undignified behaviour” at the top of the US government, which he said was dangerous to democracy.
Mr Trump said on Wednesday Mr Flake “was against me from before he ever knew me”, adding that he “did the smart thing for himself” by deciding not to run next year.
“This way he can get out somewhat gracefully,” Mr Trump said. “I wish him well”.
Mr Flake’s speech came as the US president already found himself embroiled in a row with another Republican Senator, Bob Corker from Tennessee.
Before confirming his decision in a speech to the Senate, Mr Flake told the Arizona Republic newspaper “there may not be a place for a Republican like me in the current Republican climate or the current Republican Party”.
Business as usual
Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington
Senators at Tuesday’s private luncheon with the president could have given him a standing ovation or stood on their heads, for all it matters. Actions, as they say, speak louder than words (or applause).
And while Senators Bob Corker and Jeff Flake may say their fellow senators are quietly grumbling about Mr Trump’s performance as president, those colleagues aren’t doing anything about it.
In fact, most still seem to be working from the same playbook, trying to pull together a majority to pass sweeping tax cuts.
The reality is that opposition to the president in Republican quarters, at least at this point, is stylistic. They think Mr Trump’s bluster is hindering efforts to advance their shared priorities.
Where there are differences – on topics like trade and immigration – they seem content to let the president use his executive power, but any sort of supporting legislation just isn’t going to happen. And up to this point, there’s been no serious attempts to rein in the president’s authority.
So the ragtag band of anti-Trumpers can rail against the president. Mr Trump can boast of his standing ovations. The legislative results – or lack thereof – will tell the real story.
Taking to the floor, he said he did not enjoy criticising the president but felt it was “a matter of duty and conscience”.
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“We must never regard as ‘normal’ the regular and casual undermining of our democratic norms and ideals,” he said.
“I have children and grandchildren to answer to, and so, Mr President, I will not be complicit,” he added.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said it was “probably a good move” Mr Flake was standing down, suggesting he would not win re-election.
Following the speech, Mr Flake wrote in an opinion piece for the Washington Post: “There is a sickness in our system – and it is contagious.”
“We can no longer remain silent, merely observing this train wreck, passively, as if waiting for someone else to do something.”
Another prominent party critic of Mr Trump, Senator John McCain, was quick to pay tribute to Mr Flake.
US Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell said he had “witnessed a speech from a very fine man”.
Mr Flake has long been a vocal opponent of Mr Trump, refusing to endorse him during the presidential campaign.
Although he largely voted in line with the party, his comparatively moderate views and critiques of the direction of the Republicans under Mr Trump have left him out of kilter with voters who made Mr Trump president.
For his part, Donald Trump has long wanted to oust Mr Flake, even offering to spend millions of his own money to see him unseated in primaries.
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In a series of television interviews earlier in the day, Mr Corker accused the president of lying, adding that he had debased the US and weakened its global standing.
Mr Trump fired back on Twitter, calling the Tennessee senator a “lightweight” who “couldn’t get re-elected”. Mr Corker is also not seeking another term in elections next year.
The feud overshadowed efforts by Mr Trump to build support for his proposed tax cuts. He met Republican senators for a lunch time meeting.
Note: This story is auto-generated from BBC syndicated feed and has not been edited by AFRICA PRIME NEWS
