Corker Kicks Off State Department Budget Hearing Calling It A ‘Waste Of Time’

Tennessee Senator Bob Corker took some air out of the room as he began a hearing over the Trump administration’s State Department budget on Tuesday.

Corker, who is a Republican, chairs the Foreign Relations Committee. He told Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that he tried to prep for the budget hearing with his staff.

“I took some time out to sit down with my staff and we began going through the budget that you’re presenting today,” Corker said. “After about five minutes, I said this is a total waste of time. I don’t want to do this anymore. And the reason it’s a waste of time, is I think you know the budget that’s being presented is not going to be the budget we’re going to deal with.”

Corker says that Congress has “tremendous respect” for American diplomats and U.S. aid programs oversees, and as such, will continue to fund them. The Trump Administration has proposed cutting the State Department’s budget by more than a quarter.

“I felt like it was a total waste of time to go through the line items and even discuss them because it’s not what’s going to occur,” Corker said. “I say that will all due respect.”