Trump: 'I Retired' Jeff Flake
- 5 years ago
President Trump on Wednesday weighed in on Jeff Flake's retirement.
President Trump on Wednesday said that he's the one who "retired" Senator Jeff Flake. The comment was made in response to a question about whom he deemed responsible for Republicans, such as Senator Jeff Flake and House Speaker Paul Ryan, voluntarily vacating their seats. "In Jeff Flake's case, it's me," Trump said. "I retired him. I'm very proud of it. I did the country a great service. He is retired. I'd like to call it another word, but we're going to treat him with great respect." Before moving onto the next question, he added, "Jeff Flake, that's another beauty." Flake, who hails from Arizona, explained the reasons behind his retirement during an announcement in late October of 2017. While he didn't mention Trump or his fellow Republicans specifically, his comments often seemed to be about them. "When we remain silent and fail to act when we know that that silence and inaction is the wrong thing to do — because of political considerations, because we might make enemies, because we might alienate the base, because we might provoke a primary challenge, because ad infinitum, ad nauseam — when we succumb to those considerations…then we dishonor our principles and forsake our obligations," Flake said. "Those things are far more important than politics."
President Trump on Wednesday said that he's the one who "retired" Senator Jeff Flake. The comment was made in response to a question about whom he deemed responsible for Republicans, such as Senator Jeff Flake and House Speaker Paul Ryan, voluntarily vacating their seats. "In Jeff Flake's case, it's me," Trump said. "I retired him. I'm very proud of it. I did the country a great service. He is retired. I'd like to call it another word, but we're going to treat him with great respect." Before moving onto the next question, he added, "Jeff Flake, that's another beauty." Flake, who hails from Arizona, explained the reasons behind his retirement during an announcement in late October of 2017. While he didn't mention Trump or his fellow Republicans specifically, his comments often seemed to be about them. "When we remain silent and fail to act when we know that that silence and inaction is the wrong thing to do — because of political considerations, because we might make enemies, because we might alienate the base, because we might provoke a primary challenge, because ad infinitum, ad nauseam — when we succumb to those considerations…then we dishonor our principles and forsake our obligations," Flake said. "Those things are far more important than politics."