Vice President Pence defended President Trump against “baseless attacks” on his foreign policy during a speech Tuesday, hours after Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker urged Trump to “leave it to the professionals” when it comes to dealing with international threats.
“While some critics engage in empty rhetoric and in baseless attacks, this president is achieving real results on the international stage through renewed American strength,” Pence said in remarks at the free-market American Enterprise Institute.
“Our president has put historic pressure on the regime in Pyongyang, and today, North Korea is more isolated than ever before with China doing more than they have ever done to bring pressure to bear,” he continued, commending Trump for boosting Pakistan’s anti-terror efforts and holding Iran’s hostile regime accountable.
“President Trump has restored American strength at home and abroad,” Pence said.
Though it was unclear which specific criticisms Pence was referring to, his comments came as Trump and Corker engaged in a war of words following the Tennessee Republican’s Tuesday morning appearance on ABC in which he accused the president of interfering with diplomatic efforts to calm rising tensions with North Korea.
“The president undermines our secretary of state, raises tensions in the area by virtue of the tweets that he sends out, and I would just like him to leave it to the professionals for awhile and see if we can do something that’s constructive for our country, the region and the world,” Corker said.
Corker then tweeted, “Same untruths from an utterly untruthful president. #AlertTheDaycareStaff,” after Trump fired back on Twitter.
The public insults continued for hours, as Trump fired off a series of tweets and Corker responding in remarks to Capitol Hill reporters.
“I think at the end of the day, when his term is over, I think the debasing of our nation, the constant non-truth telling, just the name-calling … I think the debasement of our nation will be what he’ll be remembered most for, and that’s regretful,” Corker said of the president.
