Apparently Trump doesn’t understand the definition of ‘unity’, as his unity meeting with Senate Republicans ended up being pretty contentious, with Trump and Sen. Flake getting into it over his lack of support for Trump:
WAPO – Donald Trump’s private meeting Thursday with Senate Republicans – designed to foster greater party unity ahead of the national convention in Cleveland — grew combative as the presumptive presidential nominee admonished three senators who have been critical of his candidacy and predicted they would lose their reelection bids, according to two Republican officials with direct knowledge of the exchanges.
Trump’s most tense exchange was with Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who has been highly critical of the business mogul’s candidacy, especially his rhetoric and policies on immigration that the senator has argued alienate many Latino and other voters in Arizona.
Trump said at the meeting that he has yet to attack Flake hard, but threatened to begin doing so.
Flake stood up to Trump by urging him to stop attacking Mexicans. Trump predicted that Flake would lose his reelection, at which point Flake informed Trump that he was not on the ballot this year, said the sources, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details of the private meeting.
Flake’s spokesman did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Trump also called out Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), who withdrew his endorsement of Trump last month citing the business mogul’s racially-based attacks on a federal judge, and said he did not approve of the senator’s action, said the officials.
Characterizing Kirk as a loser, Trump vowed that he would carry Illinois in the general election even though the state traditionally has been solidly Democratic in presidential contests. Kirk did not attend the meeting with Trump.
Trump also singled out Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who has refused to support Trump and has emerged as perhaps the most vocal advocate for a third-party candidate. Sasse declined to speak with reporters as he left the meeting.
“Senator Sasse went to today’s meeting ready to listen. Senator Sasse introduced himself to Mr. Trump and the two had a gracious exchange,” said James Wegmann, the senator’s spokesman. “Mr. Sasse continues to believe that our country is in a bad place and, with these two candidates, this election remains a dumpster fire. Nothing has changed.”
Wapo has since added more to the exchange between Trump and Flake, and it sounds like Flake went after Trump:
How Flake introduced himself to Trump is, wow https://t.co/DE9ykzh1Zi pic.twitter.com/2x3rr6GkKy
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) July 7, 2016
Wow! Strong words from such a weak Senator. No wonder he and Trump got into it so big.
Well can’t say that I’m shocked that a Trump unity meeting went this way. After all, Trump hasn’t tried that hard to woo anyone but Bernie supporters. And if he’s just going to demand allegiance and loyalty, then he might as well give that up because there’s nothing about him makes any of us want to give him anything close to that.