Tennessee Senator Bob Corker says Donald Trump went “far too far” by calling President Obama and Hillary Clinton the founders of ISIS.
But he isn’t budging in his support for the Republican presidential nominee, even as he criticized the tone of his campaign.
Corker spoke to reporters Thursday after a stop in Franklin. He’s been touring the state this month, while Congress is in recess.
Corker jokes he hasn’t read any intelligence reports suggesting Trump might be right, and he says blaming individual leaders for the policy mistakes that led to the rise of ISIS is inappropriate.
“To say that an elected official in our country founded a terrorist organization like ISIS is taking the facts that took place in 2011 and carrying that far too far.”
Corker also condemned Trump’s comment that gun rights supporters could do something about Clinton if she’s elected and tries to appoint judges who favor gun control. The comment has widely been interpreted as suggesting violence, though Trump says he meant that 2nd Amendment supporters could show the might of their political organization.
Corker did not say how he took the phrase but added such comments have no place in public discourse.
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