GOP lawmaker: Trump can't bully senators, 'this isn't the Apprentice

GOP lawmaker: Trump can't bully senators, 'this isn't the Apprentice'
By Julia Manchester - 08-30-17 18:01 PM EDT

Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) on Wednesday pushed back on President Trump's recent criticisms of members of his own party ahead of the president's meeting with congressional leaders next week.

"You're not going to bully United States senators, this isn't The Apprentice," Cole told The Associated Press, referencing the television show that Trump hosted before running for president.

"You can't look at them and say you're fired, you're going to need their vote and you oughtta remember that they're going to be at the table in every major deal you need for the next three years. So I just don't think that's a productive way to proceed," he added.

Cole's comments come after Trump, who has yet to obtain a major legislative achievement, has launched a series of public attacks on various Republican lawmakers.

Trump has pushed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to advance his legislative agenda, which saw a major defeat following the collapse of ObamaCare repeal in July. Sources close to McConnell said earlier this month that he was stunned by Trump's attacks.

The president has also gone after GOP senators such as John McCain (Ariz.) and Jeff Flake (Ariz.) in recent weeks, lawmakers who have been vocal critics of the president on various issues.

Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Mitch, get back to work and put Repeal & Replace, Tax Reform & Cuts and a great Infrastructure Bill on my desk for signing. You can do it!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2017

The president is scheduled to appear with lawmakers on Capitol Hill next week.

House Republicans were planning on cutting nearly $1 billion from disaster accounts to fund the president's proposed southern border wall, though Tropical Storm Harvey has since led to bipartisan calls for more federal funding to aid affected areas parts of Texas and Louisiana.

The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Trump could request an emergency funding package to address damage from Harvey, which has brought catastrophic flooding to Texas.