Rep. Elijah Cummings confirmed on Thursday that he did tell President Trump he could be a great president, but clarified that this could only happen on one condition.
According to the Maryland Democrat, he has repeatedly told Trump “that he could be a great president if … IF … he takes steps to truly represent all Americans.”
Trump boasted to the New York Times this week that Cummings paid him the compliment during a recent meeting.
“Elijah Cummings was in my office and he said, ‘You will go down as one of the greatest presidents in the history of our country,'” Trump claimed. Trump said he watched Cummings criticize Trump on TV shortly after the meeting, and had to ask, “Is that the same man that said that me?”
But Cummings used the meeting to warn that Trump’s actions aren’t finding broad support so far.
“Cummings told the president that the actions he has taken to date are viewed negatively not just by the people in his district, but by the majority of Americans,” the aide to the lawmaker told the Washington Examiner. “[He] offered the president a road map for changing his ways to help all Americans.”
To go down in history as a great leader, Cummings told Trump he must discontinue “the divisive and harmful path he is currently on,” the aide said. He advised the president to work with him on legislation that would improve drug pricing and stop launching “blatant attacks on the immigrant community.”
“He told the president that if he represented all Americans, he would have tremendous potential and that he should start leading instead of tweeting,” the aide said.
