'Liddle' Bob Corker Duped By New York Times, Trump Says

WASHINGTON, DC — The once-close relationship between President Donald Trump and Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker has moved into the realm of short jokes.

Monday, Trump tweeted that Corker, who the president referred to as "Liddle' [sic] Bob Corker," was duped by the New York Times and "made to look a fool." The president said that Corker — who is 5 feet 7 inches tall — was unaware he was being recorded.

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Corker has made no such accusations himself and, in fact, made a joke about being on the record with Times reporter Jonathan Martin during the interview.

The relationship between Corker, the powerful chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who was reputedly on the president's, ahem, short list for secretary of State, and Trump grew chilly after Corker suggested in August that the president lacked the temperament and understanding required to be in office. Trump responded that the criticism was odd because Corker had asked the president for political advice; Trump also suggested "Tennessee not happy!"

After a brief rapprochement, the two began squabbling again after Corker announced he would not seek a third term. Since that surprise revelation, he has sharpened his critiques of the White House. Last week, he told reporters Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly "help separate our country from chaos."

Analysis: Trump Spat With Corker; DACA Plans

Trump then lashed out at Corker on Twitter Sunday, which led Corker to compare the White House to a day care center. That was followed by the release of Corker's interview with the Times, during which he said the president was leading the country toward World War III.

He explicitly accused Trump of undermining diplomatic efforts, said the president was lying about their conversations and compared him unfavorably to members of the Cabinet, who Corker called "the good guys." Corker also said that most GOP senators share his view of the president as unstable, even if they won't say it publicly.

“As long as there are people like that around him who are able to talk him down when he gets spun up, you know, calm him down and continue to work with him before a decision gets made, I think we’ll be fine," Corker said.

In the Oval Office Monday, the president said the country was "on the wrong path" before his administration.

“All you have to do is have to take a look. If you look over the last 25 years, through numerous administrations, we were on the path to a very big problem, a problem like this world has never seen. We’re on the right path right now, believe me,” he said.

Asked if the feud with Corker would stymie his efforts at tax reform, Trump said “I don’t think so. I don’t think so at all. I think we’re well on our way. The people of this country want tax cuts, they want lower taxes. We’re the highest taxed nation in the world. ...”

The president repeatedly says the U.S. is the world's highest taxed nation, a claim that has been refuted by analysis by numerous outlets from CNBC to The National Review.

In an interview with Sean Hannity Monday, former White House chief strategist and Brietbart editor Steve Bannon called on Corker to resign, while top Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway told "Fox & Friends" that Corker's criticism was irresponsible and undermined the country.

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File