Senate

Grassley: Trump ‘could solve all of his problems’ if Melania approved tweets

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joked at a Tuesday event that President Trump would have a lot fewer worries if his tweets were first checked by first lady Melania Trump.

“The president could solve all of his problems if he just showed his wife the tweet before he punches the send button,” Grassley quipped when the moderator noted that Trump is tweeting more about special counsel Robert Mueller than the push for criminal justice reform in a bill co-sponsored by Grassley.

“Couldn’t we all,” agreed Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), another of the bill’s co-sponsors.

{mosads}The president’s frequent and often bombastic tweeting has been a source of frustration for many conservatives, including Grassley.

In September, the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman tweeted that he was praying Trump could be more disciplined in his discourse in the run up to the midterm elections.

“My prayer is that our President can be as disciplined in his discourse and speeches like last two [weeks before] his election,” Grassley tweeted. “Then we will be successful in next two months like he was successful.”

The GOP emerged from the midterms with a greater majority in the Senate but significant losses in the House. 

Pundits on the right and the left have said Trump’s heated rhetoric contributed to the GOP’s losses, driving away suburban voters.

On Monday, the president unleashed a series of tweets lambasting Mueller’s plea agreement with Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen.  

Cohen pleaded guilty last week to lying to Congress regarding the timing of the Trump Organization’s efforts to build a tower in Russia.