Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker dismissed speculation on Monday that he is being vetted as a potential running mate for Donald Trump, after meeting with the presumptive Republican nominee in New York City.
“I was up here last Monday meeting with [former Secretary of State] Henry Kissinger and I think it was worthwhile to get to know the nominee in a little bit of a different way, and we did that today,” Corker told reporters after the two met behind closed doors at Trump Tower.
“But let me, again, I said this when this all came up a couple of weeks ago — I have no reason whatsoever to believe that I’m being considered for a position like that,” he said of the vice presidential slot.
“I’ll say that until I’m blue in my face,” he added. “This was a meeting between two people who didn’t know each other except over phone calls. I mean, those kind of things take a while, and I have no reason to believe that I’m being considered.”
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman said he and Trump spoke about U.S. relations with China and Russia and “how the [general election] campaign will go.”
“I will say that, you know, the fact that he’s challenging some of the status quo, it is causing these countries to think a little bit differently about the U.S. — and I say that in a positive way,” Corker said.
According to the Tennessee senator, the meeting was “very enjoyable” and something he participated in because he “want[s] to see us succeed and solve the problems we have as a nation.”
“I am doing what I’m doing because I care deeply about policy,” Corker said.
In addition to Kissinger and Corker, Trump has also discussed foreign affairs with South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and former Secretary of State James Baker in separate conversations since the beginning of May.
