Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) is calling on Donald Trump to not be “ignorant” after the former president ripped a bipartisan border security bill being negotiated in the Senate.
Trump, in a Nevada speech Saturday, said there was “zero chance” he’d support what he described as “this horrible open borders betrayal of America.”
“It’s not gonna happen. And I’ll fight it all the way. I noticed a lot of the senators are trying to say, respectfully, they’re blaming it on me. I say, that’s okay, please blame it on me. Please,” he said of efforts to tank the bill.
Cassidy, in an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju, questioned if Trump has access to the bill.
“Doesn’t seem that way,” Raju replied.
“It hasn’t been released, how does he know it’s a betrayal if he hasn’t read it?” Cassidy said, then offered the ex-president some free advice.
“I mean, don’t be ignorant,” he said. “Read the bill.”
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), when asked about Trump’s characterization, said it’s “certainly not a betrayal.”
“We’ve got to be able to deal with issues in law. That’s how we actually deal with things in America,” said Lankford, the lead GOP negotiator.
The comments from the two senators arrive one day after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told Raju it was “absurd” when asked if he was trying to kill a bipartisan border security bill to help Trump on his presidential campaign.
Senate GOP pushback on Trump calling bipartisan border deal a “betrayal.”
Lankford: “It’s certainly not a betrayal.”
Bill Cassidy on Trump attacking border deal before reading bill. “How does he know it’s a betrayal if he hasn’t read it… Don’t be ignorant. Read the bill.” pic.twitter.com/nx5wHer37J
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 31, 2024
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